


The Difference Inbetween: Other Sides, Other Stories

by greeneggs101



Series: The Difference Inbetween [2]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Falling In Love, Families of Choice, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-02
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-06-20 09:33:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 70,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15531354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greeneggs101/pseuds/greeneggs101
Summary: Destiny was never left to chance. As other characters wake up andremember,they are forced to deal with the choices they made and how to move forward.[A collection of "epilogues" for the previous fic "The Difference Inbetween," highlighting different characters. A sequel of sorts...]





	1. Ven

**Author's Note:**

> So, here it is! A "Sequel/epilogue" of sorts... well... a collection of 10 of them. Each chapter will go through a different character, first detailing how and when they remembered then a short(ish) tale of them after the events of "The Difference Inbetween" (which I would recommend reading first).

 

_ ~The Love I Feel and The Things I Fear~ _

 

**\--4 Years Ago, The Badlands--**

 

“Ven, make sure Vanitas understands the material for his test on Monday,” Grandfather told me after dinner, “I don’t want those... people at the education office to visit again because the boy failed another test.”

 

_ Well... maybe if you actually took the time to teach him... _ I thought, but only to myself. 

 

I learned long ago not to talk back. 

 

Instead, I let out a soft sigh and then ascended the staircase, taking the steps two at a time. 

 

Van was sleeping in his bed, the window open to let the cool evening breeze in. His face scrunched up when I came in, but relaxed a moment later. I couldn’t help but grin, running a hand through his messy hair. “Hey, Van. C’mon, wake up...”

 

“Nngh...” He mumbled, rolling over to avoid my hand, “No.” 

 

I huffed. Ever since he turned 12, he’d been growing in spurts and eating tons more, but also sleeping at every chance Grandfather let him. “C’mon... you wanna go for a walk to the graveyard?”

 

One gold eye blinked open, “...did Grandfather say we could?”

 

“Grandfather’s in his study, and I think he’ll stay there for the rest of the night...” I put my finger to my lips, “What he doesn’t know, won’t hurt him, yeah?”

 

“Mmm... kay...” He yawned and stretched, rubbing one hand through his hair and making it messier than before. 

 

We quickly snuck back downstairs, avoiding all the squeaky floorboards and slipping out the front door. We weren’t in any danger of Grandfather locking it up behind us. What for? We lived in the only house on the street and the closest neighbor was at least two miles away. 

 

Van ran a head, eager to get out of the house for a minute, even if it was to walk around an old graveyard. I hurried after him, kicking up dust into the evening air. 

 

Once we hopped the small stone wall, Van began to meander his way through the gravestones and I followed his path, making sure he didn’t trip on any of the half hidden grave markers. 

 

“So...” I began. He glanced up at me, mouth already full of the granola bar he probably had hidden in his pocket earlier. “Grandfather says that you’re having problems with fractions.”

 

Gold eyes rolled and his face settled into a pout, “Grandfather is just mad because the education people called while you were watering the garden. I overheard them. They said that my scores made it look like Grandfather hadn’t taught me anything about fractions yet this year. He was pissed...”

 

“Yeah?” I didn’t bother correcting him on his language. Living with both him and grandfather meant that I learned how to pick my battles. 

 

Besides, when it was just us nearly 24/7, there was no one around he had to be civil to. 

 

“Yeah...” He kicked a stone, knocking it further down the path. “Fractions are just... stupid. Who cares how much of something you have? Either you have all of it, or you don’t. End of story.” 

 

“Yeah well...” I tried to think of a way for Vanitas to get it, “Well... they can come in handy if you need to split something. Like food!”

 

“Food?”

 

“Yeah... say... say we had an ice cream bar, but both of us wanted some. How would we split the ice cream bar?”

 

“You wouldn’t because then only one of us would be holding the stick, while the other would be sad with sticky fingers...” Vanitas smirked and kicked another rock, this one hitting the stone wall with a  _ ‘ping!’ _

 

I groaned, “Work with me, Van...” 

 

“Fine...” Vanitas stopped and shoved his hands into his pockets, clearly looking for another granola bar. “In half right? so...1/2” 

 

“Right...” I picked up a stick and wrote ‘1/2’ in the dirt pathway. “And...let’s say we needed to divide it up into three so grandfather could have some...”

 

“Into thirds,” Vanitas grumbled, taking the stick and writing ‘1/3’ into the pathway. “Grandfather can have the smallest third though, right?”

 

I huffed out a laugh, “Right...” I tried to think of a harder example, “Now... what if we had 2 ice creams to split equally between the three of us?”

 

Vanitas thought about it, finally drawing two giant ice cream bars in the dirt and dividing each into three sections. “Well... if we divide each ice cream into thirds again... and we each have two of the thirds... oh... two-thirds!” He grinned and wrote ‘2/3’ in the dirt. 

 

“You got it!” I grinned, “You can draw out the questions on the test as well. Just pretend that they are talking about ice cream bars, ok?”

 

“Hmm... ok...” He let out a deep sigh, “I wish we could have real ice cream right now...” 

 

“Me too, Van...” We had gotten a taste of the sweet ice cold treat during a rare trip into town late last summer and the elderly woman who owned the convenience store felt sorry for us in the heat, so she let us have one to share. Van loved it, begging Grandfather for more until the old man grew tired of Van’s pleas. 

 

I didn’t ask what happened, but it was shortly after I was helping bandage up a deep cut in Van’s arm that he got ‘from running into an open cupboard’ that Van stopped asking. 

 

For now, I sighed and dug through my own pockets, pulling out the granola bar I had hidden in there. “Will this work?”

 

“Yay!” He quickly grabbed the bar from my hand, muttering out a quick thanks. A moment after he opened it though, he handed me back half. 

 

“Since we don’t have ice cream, you can have half the granola bar instead.”

 

I grinned, “Thanks, Vanitas.” I ruffled his hair, much to his displeasure and we resumed our walk around the graveyard. 

 

“Ven!” Van ran a head, spotting something on the path, “Look! Another one!”

 

As soon as he said, it, I spotted another glint of sunlight on metal to my left. “There’s another one over here too!”

 

Actually, there were two keychains in the dirt, both lying right on the path as if they had just been dropped. But they definitely weren’t there just a few days ago when Van and I came. I bent down to pick them up, brushing the stray dirt off. 

 

One was shaped like a water droplet, the other a rock shard. 

 

They looked so... familiar?

 

“Ven! Look!” Van held up the one he found for me to see. “It’s like a tiny tornado!”  

 

“...yeah...” I shook my head, trying to clear the fog that seemed to be descending upon it. The keychain. I knew it from somewhere. 

 

_ But where? _

 

“Ven?” Van shook my sleeve, pointing at the house. “I think Grandfather’s light just came on.”

 

“Shit...” I hurried to put all three of the keychains into my pocket and then grabbed Van’s hand. “C’mon, we gotta run.”

 

“Kay...” 

 

Together, we hopped over the low wall and ran down the street, careful to keep an eye on Grandfather’s bedroom window, which, unfortunately, faced the graveyard. I didn’t see his shadow cross it, so I hoped we would make it in time. 

 

Once we reached the house, I didn’t bother with the front door, insead helping Vanitas climb onto the porch roof, following him shortly after. Van had just rolled through our bedroom window by the time I managed to get onto the roof. 

 

“Quick!” I whispered, “get under the covers, jacket and all.”

 

Vanitas nodded and did as he was told, only pausing to kick his shoes off. I arranged the covers so only the spiky tips of his hair poked out. Then I slipped out of my own shoes and tossed my jacket into the closet. I winced as the keychains thudded against the floor, but I couldn’t worry about that now. Instead, I threw myself in to the desk chair and opened up the first book I saw. 

 

Just in time, too. 

 

Grandfather opened up the door, “Ahh... still awake, Ventus?”

 

“Yeah... just wanted to study...uh...” I simultaneously tried to catch my breath and come up with an excuse why I was still up. I glanced down at the book and cursed myself. I had opened up one of Vanitas’s textbooks. But, thankfully, it was the math one.  “Fractions... it’s been a while, you know? So I wanted to make sure I understood the material before helping Van.”

 

“Vanitas.” Grandfather’s voice was stern. 

 

He hated the nicknames Van and I had. 

 

“Vanitas,” I repeated back, just to satisfy him. 

 

“Hmm...” He turned to stare at the figure huddled on the bed. For his part, Van was mimicking sleep pretty well, though I feared that was only because he wasn’t breathing at all. 

 

“Ventus....” Grandfather said at last, “Please join me in the study for a moment.”

 

_ Crap.  _

 

I nodded and closed the book while Grandfather walked down the hallway, sure I would follow. I heard his heavy footsteps as they descended the stairs and I turned to glance back at my brother. 

 

He had turned over and a pair of worried golden eyes stared back at me. I tried to give a grin and placed my finger on my lips.

 

I didn’t bother to avoid the creaky steps on the staircase as I headed down. What was the point if he knew I was coming?

 

The study door was closed, but that was just a formality. Despite inviting me, Grandfather would still want me to knock before entering. My hand shook as I raised it and I took a deep breath to calm myself. 

 

_ Knock! Knock! _

 

“Come in.” 

 

I turned the doorknob and pushed on the old wood. It resisted a litte, almost like the house itself was trying to warn me, but eventually the old swollen wood gave and I was able to step inside. I took my place in front of his desk, hands at my side. 

 

“Yes, Grandfather?”

 

“So... how was your walk?” 

 

I tried to not let my face give anything away, but I knew it was futile. Neither Van nor I could hide our emotions very well. “It was fine. Vanitas needed the fresh air to focus on our schoolwork.” 

 

“Despite knowing that you are not allowed to go outside after dinner?”

 

“Yes. That was my idea. I apologize.” I bowed a little, knowing that I hadn’t escaped punishment, but hoping that he wouldn’t take it out on Van later. 

 

There was a moment of silence, during which I could hear the ticks of the old clock on Grandfather’s desk. 

 

“Ventus... You are nearly sixteen, yes?”

 

I furrowed my brow. Why was he asking this? “Yes, sir?”

 

“And you are still quite close with Vanitas?”

 

“Of course,” I stated, “He’s my brother.”

 

“Hmph,” Grandfather scoffed, “Brotherly affection. Surely that cannot be the reason...” The last part was said mostly to himself. 

 

“Reason...sir?”

 

“Hmph... I thought for sure that Vanitas would repeat the actions of the past, but if nothing else, it seems that keeping you two together has just made him soft.”

 

I curled my fist. “Forgive me, sir. But Vanitas is anything but soft. He’s still just a child--”

 

“--Yes and with childish wishes,” Grandfather spat and slammed his hand on the table, making me jump. 

 

After another long moment, during which I held my breath, Grandfather finally let out a grin that set me on edge. 

 

Nothing good ever came from Grandfather smiling. 

 

“Does the word, ‘key,’ mean anything to you, Ventus?”

 

What?

 

“Um... outside of what we use to lock the door with? Should we have locked the door when we left?” I was struggling to make a connection with this line of questioning. What was he getting at?

 

Another scoff, “You have clearly not been listening to your history lessons. What do the old legends say of keys?”

 

I struggled to remember. Van and I generally tuned out history lessons. “The... warriors from the legends... they carried giant keys right? To open... giant doors?”

 

“In a way... yes...” He let out a deep sigh, as if I was missing something vitally important. He gestured with his hands, continuing, “But the biggest key of all protected the biggest door. The  χ -blade of legend.”

 

Another fog descended upon me, the same feeling I got when I looked at those keychains earlier. “Key... blade?”

 

“Hmm... yes...” He folded his hands. “So Ventus... do you think Vanitas remembers the  χ -blade?”

 

“What?” I couldn’t focus, and I shook my head, feeling a bit ill. “I’m sorry, sir.... I don’t think so. Van’s not really into history and legends, so he doesn’t remember stuff like that...”

 

Grandfather huffed and let out another sigh, “Very well then. Perhaps I should endeavour to pay closer attention to how much he studies. Of course, maybe if you weren’t here to distract him...” He trailed off, expecting me to understand what he was implying.

 

I shivered at those words. What did that mean? Did... did Grandfather only punish Vanitas because  _ I _ was around? 

 

After another awkward moment or two, Grandfather finally turned around, facing the window. “You are excused, Ventus. Think on what I said.”

 

“Yes...” I bowed quickly, “Sir...” 

 

It took all my willpower not to run from the room, and instead I closed the door behind me, wishing, not for the first time, that the door would swell up in the humidity and lock Grandfather in there permanently. 

 

My head was still spinning and I stopped at the kitchen to grab a glass of water before heading upstairs. 

 

The fog was starting to lift, but now my brain felt like it was caught in a whirlwind. It wouldn’t settle, jumping around from thought to thought. 

 

Keyblade and Vanitas and Grandfather and keychains... It all connected together. I was sure of it, but I couldn’t focus on one thought long enough to decipher it. 

 

Van, of course, was still awake when I returned to the room and he hurried to get out of bed as soon as I shut the door. “Ven!” Strong, thin arms wrapped around me and I felt the familiar hitches in his breath that told me he was trying so hard not to cry. 

 

“Shh...” I murmured, setting my water down on the nearby desk to wrap my own arms around him. “I’m okay.”

 

“He didn’t...” Van trailed off but I knew what he was asking. 

 

“Nah... just wanted to ask some dumb questions,” I reassured him and then took his hand and squeezed tight. “You did a good job though, keeping quiet. Nearly thought you were asleep myself.”

 

Van’s lips twitched into a grin, “I did what you told me to and tried to calm my breathing. Make it slow.”

 

“Exactly,” I then disentangled myself from his embrace and pushed him back towards his bed. “Now it’s time to go to sleep for real.”

 

“Aww...” Even without seeing his face, I knew he was pouting. 

 

“Time for all good boys to be in bed.” I took his jacket and hung it up in the closet while he changed into pyjama pants. Then he crawled back into bed. For all his protests, he was practically asleep before he hit the pillow. 

 

As I finished tidying up the room that night, I remembered my own jacket that was still lying on the closet floor. Picking it up, I shook it out and took the keychains out of the pocket, throwing them on the desk to hide in a second. 

 

As they clattered on the wooden surface, the tiny tornado one caught my attention. This time, as I looked at it, a name settled into my head, clearing the thoughts that were swirling around. 

 

_ Wayward Wind. _

 

In an instant, it was as if the bag of winds had been opened. I gritted my teeth and clutched my head as image after image assaulted my senses. The jacket clattered back to the ground and I hurried to take a seat on my bed, tucking my head between my knees and trying to take steadying breaths. 

 

Fighting dark shadows. Emblems of fear and hate and anger. 

 

Traveling to different worlds, making new friends. 

 

Master Eraqus.

 

Aqua. 

 

Terra. 

 

_ And by the time you catch up, Terra will be a different person. _

 

Vanitas.

 

My heart dropped and I peaked over to my brother. To Vanitas. 

 

For a moment, instead of the eleven year old in the bed, sleeping peacefully, I saw an older boy, a masked helmet covering his face, but even that couldn’t disguise the contempt and disgust rolling off his figure. 

 

I blinked and it was the eleven year old again, who shifted in his sleep and buried himself deeper in the covers, a small frown on his face. 

 

The darkness in my heart. The darkness that Xehanort--

 

Grandfather---

 

I shook my head, but the memories remained. Despite the impossibility, despite the part of me that felt like I had gone crazy, I knew this was real. 

 

I knew it in my heart. 

 

Was this what grand--Xehanort was getting at?

 

Or... was it something else?

 

Slowly, the tornado of memories in my head slowed, stuttered and finally settled. The memories landed where they were, and I would have to eventually sort through them. 

 

For now though, what was I going to do?

 

I looked over at Vanitas again, and the sudden, irrational spike of fear I felt when I looked at him scared me. I...this... This was my little brother. Not some monster from my memories. 

 

Feeling numb, I walked over to him, sitting on the edge of his bed and running a hand through his hair like I used to do when he was much, much younger and scared from the nightmares. 

 

Nightmares that generally consisted of monsters appearing out of his own shadow. 

 

“Mmm...” Van shifted in his sleep, and one bleary eye opened and looked at me. Part of me wanted to jerk back, but the larger part, the big brother part, stayed and gave a small grin. 

 

“Ven...what’s wrong? Is it morning already?” He looked more irritated than anything at the thought and I almost huffed out a laugh. 

 

(The scared part of me looked for a flood.) 

 

“Nah... just... just thinking about some things...”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Yeah...” I ran another hand through his hair. “Just...thinking about Dad’s family,” I lied. 

 

Dad... I’m not sure if he existed in our previous life, but perhaps he did. After all, his brother was Sora’s father.

 

_ Sora.  _

 

“Mmmhmm...” Van sleepily mumbled, already drifting back to sleep. “Wha’ bou’ ‘im?”

 

Slowly, a plan began to form in my head, “Well...just wondering... why his family never took us in. Didn’t even show up to mom’s funeral. Xehano---Grandfather said it was because they didn’t want to come... but I’m not so sure now...” 

 

“Yeah?”

 

Somewhat reluctantly I got up from the bed and rifled through the top drawer of the desk, removing the contents and reaching back to unlock the false bottom. 

 

I wasn’t sure if Xehanort knew about the secret compartment in the desk or not. But the desk had been our mother’s, and I always wondered what items she kept hidden from her father in here. 

 

Van and I used it to hide our most secret possessions. Our keychains took up most of the space, but there was also the only photo I managed to save from Xehanort’s purge years ago. Our parents at some college party. It had been tucked between the pages of a worn out book and I managed to save and hide it before the book got tossed out. Our parents wedding rings were in there as well, which Mom had handed to me personally after Dad passed away and she was worried that the pregnancy swelling would affect her own ring. 

 

She never made it out of the delivery room alive, so I kept it safe for Vanitas. I thought she would want him to have it. 

 

But, tucked away under all of that was an envelope and a letter, both written in childish handwriting. The letter itself, though cute and important in its own way, wasn’t vital at this time, but the envelope was. I glanced at it, seeing the address to the house Mom and I shared on the front. But up in the corner was the return address. 

 

Sora

333 Paopu Fruit Rd

Wayfinder, Destiny Islands

 

Why didn’t Dad’s family take us in?

 

Did Sora know?

 

Did Sora  _ remember _ ?

 

I had to know. I had to see if Dad’s family would take us in now, when we needed it most. I could probably get there, to Destiny Islands. 

 

I glanced back to where Vanitas was only half asleep. 

 

I could probably move faster by myself. 

 

I sighed and kept the envelope out, moving back to the bed and running my hand through Van’s hair again. 

 

He was so different, and in many other ways, so similar. 

 

Van hated anything green with a passion, whether it be clothes, writing supplies, or food. The only thing green he appreciated was the green star in our favorite constellation. He loved ice cream (even after only one taste), disliked beef, and had an aversion towards brushing his teeth regularly. There were times that he could drive me up the wall with his stubbornness and inclination to upset our grandfather. 

 

_ “Since we don’t have ice cream, you can have half the granola bar instead.” _

 

Since Mom passed away, and Grandfather--Master Xehanort-- didn’t really show all that much interest in raising two young boys, I had taken it upon myself to raise Vanitas as best I could. I had to grow up fast so that Van could be a child for just a little longer. 

 

Could I really leave him to grow up alone?

 

Destiny Islands couldn’t be that far away. Mom took me there before Van was born and I don’t remember it taking that long. I could get there within a few days, talk to Dad’s family, and be back within a month. Van wouldn’t have grown up that much in that time. 

 

Besides with the way Grandfather was acting tonight... maybe he does punish Van more because I’m around. Maybe he’s doing it to punish me. 

 

I sighed. It might take a while to plan and save up. I had begun saving all the scraps of money and coins I could find around the house that I knew Grandfather would never know was missing. I could take some of that for a bus ticket into the nearest town, and then find out how to get to Destiny Islands from there. 

 

“Ven?” Van mumbled, apparently nervous that I hadn’t gone to bed yet. 

 

“Yeah, Van?”

 

“Hmm... You’re the best big brother, ever...” 

 

“Thanks bud,” I managed a smile and ruffled his hair. “You’re the best little brother. Now, go to sleep.”

 

“Kay...” His eyes closed and I sat with him until his breathing evened out and I knew he was finally asleep. 

 

I fiddled with the envelope in my hand. 

 

Van might have been safe for now, but I worried what would happen if Xehanort kept us together. Would he pit us against each other? 

 

Either way, it would be good to have backup, whether that be in the form of Dad’s family, or even just with Sora as another keyblade master. 

 

I would have to save us. Both of us. 

 

Now matter how long it took. 

 

**\--4 years later, Radiant Garden--**

 

“Dammit!” Vanitas shouted, yanking his key out of the lock and kicking the door for good measure. 

“You did think he’d change the locks...” Grey stated, already looking through the windows for another way in.

 

“I didn’t think he’d do it that fast...” Vanitas huffed, glaring at the door before joining Grey in looking for an open window. 

 

I sighed from my viewpoint on the porch, wishing I could help in the search, but my ankle meant I couldn’t do anything besides hobble around. I felt a weight on my shoulder and saw that Terra had come up beside me, having parked the car down the street. 

 

Riku had called that morning saying that he had heard from Professor Wise that Xehanort had just turned in his resignation papers, saying that he found a more fulfilling job elsewhere. After a quick reconnaissance mission, Riku confirmed that Xehanort was packing up his office. 

 

I still wasn’t sure how Vanitas felt about this development, his only voiced concern being that a good portion of his clothes were still in the house. Terra and I, and of course, Grey, volunteered to come out and help him pack up whatever we could carry. 

 

“What’s the hold up?” Terra asked. 

 

“Master Wiggly Fingers changed the locks,” Vanitas grumbled as he came back to where we were waiting.

 

“It’s times like this a keyblade would have come in handy...” Terra joked, ruffling Van’s hair. 

 

Van grumbled and pushed the brunet’s hands away, “Yeah, no shit.” 

 

“Vani! Ven” Grey’s voice shouted from the side of the house. “Found a window!”

 

Terra helped me navigate the grassy terrain as I hobbled to the side of the house. 

 

Indeed, one of the windows was partially open and Vanitas was helping Grey open the window a little wider so they could slip in. 

 

“Hey! You boys better step back from that window or I’m calling the police!”

 

Startled, I jumped back from the window and stumbled, wincing as I put weight on my bad leg. Terra caught me before I could fall and we both looked around for the source of the voice. 

 

“It’s just me Ms. Gothel!” Vanitas called, offering a strained smile up to the top of the tall eight foot fence. Looking up, I saw a pair of narrowed grey eyes and a bushel of greying dark hair glaring down at us. Grey had managed to pull himself through the window and Vanitas quickly stuffed his hands in his pocket. “I forgot my keys at... a friend’s house. And I didn’t want to bother Grandfather at work.” 

 

Ms. Gothel glared a moment longer before her beedy eyes disappeared behind the fence. 

 

The smile instantly fell from Vanitas’s face and he hurried us back to the front of the house. “Grey’s gonna unlock the door from the inside, but we’ve got maybe a half hour now. I wouldn’t put it past Gothel to call Xehanort. She’s always been pretty nosy since we’ve been here.”

 

“Nosy but has an eight foot fence?” Terra stared at the tall dividing line between the properties. “Seems a little... self defeating.”

 

There was a click from the other side of the door, followed by several other noises of bolts unlocking. Finally, the door opened inward and Grey quickly motioned for us to come inside. 

 

“There was like, thirteen locks on that thing,” the silver haired boy complained, showing us the numerous bolts, chains and privacy locks on the door. 

 

“How did he even get out of the house?” I wondered. Most of those locks could only be set from the inside. 

 

“He has the only key to the back door,” Vanitas said. “He never let me have a copy of that one, so I’d always have to use the front door. Harder for me to slip out at night...”

 

“Guess he didn’t want to take any chances,” Terra murmured, messing with one of the bolts. 

 

“And yet, he leaves the window unlocked,” my brother grumbled, already heading up the stairs to collect his stuff, Grey following closely behind. 

 

“Classic Xehanort...” Terra huffed, “Takes thirteen approaches to the same problem, but completely misses the obvious back door.”

 

“Yeah, well...” I shrugged. “Can’t laugh too hard. He did, technically, win.” 

 

“Hmm...” Terra turned back and placed both of his hands on my shoulders. At one time, I would have found the gesture a little demeaning, as it only emphasized how much taller and bigger he was. But now I found it a little comforting. And after discovering what had happened to Terra for all those years I had been asleep, I never wanted to take his touch for granted again. 

 

“You okay to say down here? I don’t think you should navigate stairs unless you have to...” His blue eyes glanced down at my injured ankle in concern but I shrugged him off. 

 

“Nice try. But I’m not letting my brother go through... whatever is up there by himself.” I crossed my arms as best as I could while still leaning on the crutches. 

 

Terra sighed in defeat before nodding. “Fine, but at least let me carry you up the stairs?”

 

I groaned, but agreed and Terra quickly picked me up as I hugged the crutches to my chest. We made our way up the stairs, slow but steady. When we reached the top, Terra sat me down and made sure I was steady on my crutches before we walked down the hallway. 

 

I glanced around at the blank walls, so different from Master Eraqus’s apartment, where images of Aqua, Terra and, eventually, myself, donned the walls. Most of the doorways were closed, with the exception of one at the end of the hall, where I could already see Vanitas and Grey shoving as much as they could into the trash bags we had grabbed. 

 

“I still can’t believe he--” Grey was saying as we drew closer, angrily throwing Vanitas’s shirts into one bag. 

 

“I told you what he did to Ven’s bed...” Vanitas said, his voice muffled.

 

“Still!” 

 

As we entered the room, I realized what they had been talking about. 

 

Outside of the clothes that now littered the floor, the room was completely empty. 

 

Terra knelt down to help Grey shift some of the clothing around so they could fit more in. Vanitas was half buried in a closet, quickly going through clothing and shoving it into his own bag. 

 

The only evidence that someone had lived in this room was the indents in the carpeting that indicated where furniture once sat. 

 

“Didn’t take him long, did it?” Vanitas mumbled. 

 

“No kidding...” I muttered. “What did he do with it all?”

 

“Sold it? Trashed it?” Vanitas huffed and pulled out an armful of clothing which he had tucked into a garbage bag and tied the string around the hangers. “Does it matter?”

 

“It does it if was yours...” I said, even as I knew what the answer would be.

 

“Everything was his...” Van grumbled, making a pile by the door to take out when we left. “Unless we could hide it from him.”

 

“True...” I sighed, “I wish he didn’t get rid of the desk though. That was mom’s.”

 

“He trashed it anyway,” Van stated, much to my surprise and even Grey’s from the way his head darted up. 

 

“Was that after the picture incident?”

 

“Yeah...” Van rubbed the back of his neck, “He found out about the sleepover and apparently wasn’t as okay with it as I thought. He trashed the room and pretty much shattered the drawers on the dresser.”

 

I felt my eyebrows raise and, more surprisingly, Grey nearly threw the clothes he was packing into the bag with a curse. “That bastard!” 

 

“Basically, yes,” Van agreed. 

 

We packed in silence for a moment longer, all of us understanding the need for speed and half keeping an ear out for a car coming up the driveway. 

 

Terra, for all his teasing earlier, was tense and I knew that while he would defend us from a direct confrontation with Xehanort, it was not something he actively sought out. Not unless it was to protect a friend. 

 

In many ways, Xehanort still scared all of us. 

 

But we had to stand up and walk forward in the face of our fear.

 

Or hobble forward, in my case. 

 

“I’m not sure if we're gonna be able to take it all in one trip...” Terra stated, shoving another bag towards the door. “Is there anything you want to leave behind?”

 

“I just need enough clothes to last until I can get enough munny to go shopping for new clothes...” Van answered with a grimace. “I hate shopping.”

 

“Take Aqua with you...” Terra advised, “She’s the best at going in and getting it all done quick.” 

 

“.... you think she’d really go with me?” Van wondered, “She wasn’t exactly my biggest supporter when you all were discussing what to do with me.”

 

“She’s just...” Terra hesitated, not sure how exactly to describe our friend. “Worried.”

 

I sighed. Aqua had the worst time after getting her memories back. She wouldn’t let Terra and I out of her sight for more than an hour or two until it was clear that we were safe now and not going anywhere. 

 

And that was nothing compared to the nightmares that came back. 

 

So our confrontation with Xehanort hit her a little harder than I think it hit the rest of us. And when Leon and Master Eraqus were discussing what to do with Van, she questioned whether my brother was worth saving. 

 

It...had not been a good night:

 

_ “How can you say that Aqua?” I cried out. “He’s my brother...” _

 

_ Even Aqua seemed a little ashamed of what she said...or at least how she had phrased it. “Ven... I’m just... worried. You, especially, were manipulated and pushed by Vanitas in the past, I’m just concerned that this is some sort of--” _

 

_ “Plot?” Vanitas grumbled, glaring up at her. We turned to him, a little shocked as we had all forgotten he was sitting there.  “Yeah... believe it or not, I’m still here.”  _

 

_ Aqua’s face flushed, probably in a mixture of embarrassment and anger, “Well... can you blame me for being worried?” _

 

_ “No, not really.” Vanitas’s tone was bored and nonchalant, but... despite the years I had been gone, I could still read his emotions well. His glare had a sheen to it, holding back tears that would never fall, and his hands fiddled with the hem of his shirt.  _

 

_ “But, trust me,” he continued, “after a confrontation like that? I’ve completely rejected Xehanort’s offer. He wouldn’t take me back unless I was on my knees begging. And no way in hell I’m gonna do that.” _

 

_ I glanced back up at Aqua almost expecting her to reprimand Van for his language, but instead I saw, for just a moment, a spark of empathy. She quickly shuttered it though and her jaw tensed.   _

 

_ She would agree with whatever decision was made, but she didn’t have to like it.  _

 

Which was fine, she didn’t have to. In the end, she wouldn’t even have to see Vanitas often if she didn’t want to. 

 

He wanted to finish high school at the same one he started at (the “with Grey” part wasn’t said aloud, but it also seemed to be the loudest part of the statement). Since Master Eraqus lived far outside the school’s district, Vanitas would live with Leon during the school year and Master Eraqus and I during the summer months and weekends as much as Van wanted. It was only about an hour train ride via the Radiant Garden public transport system, so it was the best compromise we could come up with. 

 

Van seemed happy with it, and that’s what was important. 

 

“Okay... I think that’s most of it.” Van swing a few of the bags onto his shoulders and picked up another. He glanced at me, “Do you think we could hang a few of the smaller bags off your crutches?”

 

“I’d rather not risk it,” Terra stated, picking up most of the other bags himself, while Grey grabbed whatever was left. “I think we can get it all down the street to the car. I didn’t park that far away. “

 

“Right...”

 

Grey and Terra went down the stairs first, while Van followed behind me as I hobbled down, gripping the railing the whole way. 

 

Once we hit the bottom, I was eager to leave, heading towards the door. But at the door frame I hesitated, looking back to where Van had paused. 

 

“Van?”

 

The boy let out a sigh, “I just... I dunno.” He shook his head, “I just been living under him for so long,” he gave me a strange look, “It’s just gonna be... weird.”

 

“Maybe at first.... But you won’t have to look over your shoulder every time your home. And you can go hang out with friends as long as Leon or Master Eraqus knows where you are.”

 

“...right...” Van finally let out a sigh and headed out the door, locking it behind him. “What was it like then? When you realized you didn’t have to be....paranoid all the time.”

 

I tried to think back to a time where I wasn’t paranoid about Xehanort  _ and _ knew I didn’t have to be. Afterall, the first time I went to live with Master Eraqus, I had no memories of Xehanort or Vanitas.... An incident that was unfortunately repeated the second time. 

 

But I thought about how it was the second month or so after I ran away. When I finally realized that Grandfather wasn’t looking for me. 

 

“It felt like a weight had lifted. One that I didn’t know I had been carrying,” I shrugged, “You just... relax, I guess. It might feel weird at first, not being paranoid. But eventually it’ll become easier.” I gave him a look, “It’s helpful to talk to people if you do start feeling paranoid. We can help you work through it.”

 

“Right...” Van followed me out the door and down the front porch. 

 

The creepy lady from earlier had not returned so we made our way down the street without incident. Grey and Terra already packed up the car with their stuff and we managed to fit the rest in the back seat with Van and Grey. 

 

The drive back to Leon’s was quiet, and when I glanced to the boys in the back seat, Van was leaning against the stuff piled between them, one of his arms disappearing behind it. I figured that if I could see through the stuff, I would see him and Grey holding hands. 

 

It was sweet. In a ‘Oh dear, my little brother is dating, I’m not prepared for this?’ type way. 

 

At the wheel, Terra grinned when he saw me looking and took my own hand, squeezing it gently. 

 

I squeezed his hand in return and sighed, leaning back in my chair. 

 

“You gonna need another pain pill when we get back?” Terra asked quietly. 

 

“Nah... Just tired.” 

 

When we arrived, Riku and Sora were both there to help unload the bags. 

 

Once everything was piled into the room, Grey and Van stayed behind to sort through it, figuring out what would stay at Leon’s house and what would move to Master Eraqus’s place with me. Sora and Riku had to head back to school for an evening class and would meet up with us later. 

 

Leon was home in the kitchen with Aqua, who had wanted to wait for Terra and I to get back before heading to the apartment. They were getting dinner prepared while Cloud was still at work. 

 

“So...” I began, taking a seat at the table, “What are we going to do for Van’s birthday?” 

 

“When’s that again?” Terra asked. 

 

“The 21st...” I leaned my crutches up against the table. “Just four days before Christmas...”

 

“He was born on the winter solstice? The longest night of the year?” Aqua hid a grin behind her hand, “And Ven, you were born on the summer solstice?”

 

“And Sora’s birthday is on the spring equinox while Roxas’s is on the autumnal equinox,” Leon added. “I’m pretty sure their father’s family had some kind of luck in cosmic symbolism. There was something funny about his and his brothers’ birthdays too, but I can’t remember what it was.” 

 

“That’s... strange, but I guess it would only make sense considering our group,” Aqua agreed, “But back to the birthday...”

 

“Eraqus and I were talking,” Leon said, setting the pot to simmer and turning to look at the trio, “We decided that it would be good if he had a cellphone, so Cloud and I are getting him that.”

 

“Great!” I grinned, thinking of the present I had stashed away in my bag. I had been saving it for... a lot longer than I intended. But I hoped he would like the green star keychain. A promise finally fulfilled. 

 

“We’ll have to have cake,” Terra insisted. “And ice cream.” 

 

“Sea salt,” I agreed, “It’s his favorite.” 

 

“Ice cream in winter?” Aqua questioned our plans with a raised eyebrow. 

 

“There is never a bad time for ice cream,” I argued, Terra nodding his head in agreement.

 

Aqua sighed, but gave a quiet chuckle, “It’s so strange. Planning a birthday for him.” She looked down at the table, drawing absent shapes into the wood grain, “I’m not sure if I can ever forget what he did--”

 

“Yeah well.... Neither can I...” a voice cut her off. 

 

Aqua shot up from her seat, startled and looked behind her. 

 

Van stood in the doorway of the kitchen, arms crossed and glaring at Aqua. 

 

It wasn’t the same glare as the one he used to wear like a shield, but... it came close. 

 

“You know... I get it. I really do.” Van stepped closer, glare finally shifting away from her face and instead hitting the floor. “I did some terrible things. But you see... here’s the thing. I regret all of it. I know that doesn’t make up for it, but I do.” He glared back up at Aqua, “And here’s the other thing. I had been raised in that life entirely by Xehanort. I may have had the appearance of a 16 year old, but my heart was only about 4 or 5. All my experiences were shaped by that man. And every moment I was in pain. A pain so great that I just wanted it to end. Xehanort offered a solution for that, and I’m sorry that I took the only chance out that I thought I had.” 

 

His voice rose with every word until he was nearly shouting, glaring at all of us. After a beat of silence after that last word, Van turned and fled the room. 

 

“Wait, Vani?” I heard Grey call out. He must have come downstairs to investigate the shouting. 

 

The front door opened and slammed shut. 

 

I groaned as I stood up, quickly grabbing my crutches and waving off Terra’s offer to help. I glanced at Aqua for a moment, but she still looked pretty shocked at Van’s words. 

 

I knew she didn’t mean her words the way he had heard them, and I knew that she was trying. 

 

I think this was just something Van had been wanting to say for a while, but his emotions got the better of him. 

 

“Just... give me a moment with him, okay?” I told her, “I don’t think he meant to shout at you...”

 

“Right...” she mumbled, looking down at the table. Terra laid a hand on her shoulder, nodding at me in silent agreement to give Aqua time. 

 

I hobbled towards the front door, finding Grey staring out the window near it in concern. 

 

“He’s just... sitting there...” Grey murmured. “I wanted to give him time to cool down before trying to talk with him...”

 

“Probably a good idea,” I agreed, “Too bad I’m not one for good ideas today...” I grinned and grabbed Van’s jacket from the younger boy’s hands, then grabbing my own from the chair nearby. “Let me talk to him first, okay? I’ll call for reinforcements if I need them.”

 

“Okay...” Grey agreed nervously, fiddling with the hem of his t-shirt. 

 

Quietly, I slipped outside and pulled the door closed behind me. Van was sitting on the porch steps, head in his hands and glaring at the ground. 

 

“I don’t want to talk about it, Grey...” He sighed, then turned to look, “Oh...”

 

“Yeah... oh...” I agreed, draping his jacket around his his shoulders and then shrugging mine on. With some difficulty, I managed to sit next to him on the steps, laying my crutches next to me. “So...”

 

“Still don’t want to talk about it,” Van muttered. 

 

“Fine. Then we don’t talk about it.” I shrugged and glanced up at the darkening sky. Still no--

 

“You can’t see the stars here...” Van’s voice interrupted my thoughts, yet still knowing what I was thinking. “Kind of sucks.”

 

“No kidding,” I agreed. 

 

We sat quietly for several moments, just waiting patiently for one to break. 

 

I was never one for just sitting quietly. I had enough of that when I slept for years. 

 

“You know the day I remembered? I decided right there and then that you deserved a second chance.”

 

“Oh...” Van huffed, “And what did I do that proved a second chance was deserved.”

 

“You split the granola bar with me.”

 

Van wrinkled his eyebrows, clearly not getting it.

 

“It was... about a week or so before I actually left. We had snuck out of the house to go for a walk in the graveyard. You found my keyblade’s keychain there. And I stumbled upon Aqua’s and Terra’s.”

 

“Oh... yeah...” Van nodded, “You taught me fractions.”

 

“Right!” I grinned, “Then I gave you the last granola bar I had on me cause you were still hungry. But then you split it in half.”

 

“And that...what?” Van rolled his eyes,”proved that I wasn’t as much of an ass as I could have been.”

 

“Proved that  you weren’t the same person. You changed and evolved. With the addition of light in your heart, you were able to feel empathy. That... meant a lot... especially when I remembered everything that very night. It... it helped me a lot to know that your light might have been strong enough to resist Xehanort’s manipulations this time around. That you could remain the same person if I had to go away for a while.” I blushed and looked away, “Of course... I didn’t expect to be gone for so long... I’m sorry.”

 

After another long moment, Vanitas sighed and punched me lightly in the arm, “I forgive you.... I think I forgave you the second after I punched you.” 

 

I laughed, “Well good, I’d hate to have to go through that again.”

 

“Hmm...” He leaned back on his arms, “So... if Aqua punched me, do you think she’d forgive me?”

 

“Nah... she’s not as...violent with her emotions as you are...” I mirrored his position. “But... going back to my story. My point was....sometimes you gotta meet people halfway if you want to move forward.”

 

“So...” he trailed off. “I gotta offer Aqua a granola bar?”

 

“Metaphorically speaking, yes.” I rolled my eyes, “You just gotta... be ready when she offers an olive branch. Be open to accepting one. You know?”

 

“Yeah.... I guess...” 

 

I grinned and leaned back on my arms, closing my eyes. 

 

After a minute or two, I felt something wet and cold land on my hand, then my nose. Opening my eyes, I realized that it had begun to snow. 

 

I glanced over at Van and chuckled as he was staring cross eyed at a snowflake that had landed on his nose before it melted and dripped down his face. 

 

“It’s snowing,” I commented, holding my hand out to catch more flakes. Vanitas stared at the white powder as it came down, cautiously cupping a hand out to catch a few more flakes. They melted quickly in his palm. 

 

“Hey... they’re gone!”

 

I laughed, “Well, they’re like ice cream. They don’t stay around for long if they get warm.”

 

“Oh...” Then he let out a huge grin, one that suited his face but was so strange to see. Turning he cupped his hands around his mouth. 

 

“Grey! Grey, it’s snowing!”

 

The other boy must have been near the door, waiting for our conversation to be done for he was quick to slip outside, winter jacket already on. He sat on the steps with us and also stared at the snow in wonder. 

 

I watched as Van pulled out a granola bar from his jacket pocket. Some habits apparently never went away. His fingers quickly unwrapped the bar and split it. Not in half, but into three.

 

“Thirds, right?” Van asked with a grin, offering one of the pieces. “I still remember...”

 

I huffed and took the offered third. “Good job...”

 

We ate in silence as the snow continued to fall, bringing a quiet peace that we needed after this difficult chapter. 

 

The road ahead, while not perfectly smooth, was full of new possibilities. As long as we were willing to meet our friends in the middle and move forward together. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Subtitle is a lyric from the song "I'll Try" from Peter Pan: Return to Neverland (It's the line right after "The difference inbetween")


	2. Sora

_~Still wish on the stars as they fall from above~_

 

**\- 3 years old, Destiny Islands -**

 

“Oh, he’s beautiful...” The woman said, a bright grin on her face, though her eyes still seemed sad. “He looks so much like Ven did at that when he was born...”

 

“I know right?” Mommy smiled, “I keep looking at the pictures you sent when Ven was born. Those boys’ genes sure run strong, huh?” She gave Roxie a small kiss on his forehead. The baby scrunched his face and cried.

 

I frowned. Mommy doesn’t give me nearly as many kisses now, and I wouldn’t cry if she gave all of them to me.

 

Roxas didn’t know how good he had it.

 

Then Roxie turned to look at me with big blue eyes and I felt my heart do that funny thing again.

 

The one that said that I should _know_ those eyes.

 

Which was silly, cause of course I knew them. He was _my_ baby brother.

 

It was weird.

 

Then another boy with blonde hair and blue eyes peeked out from behind the woman’s skirt and looked at me, then at the stuffed toy in my hand. He turned to look at the woman, tugging on her skirt.

 

“Mommy, Mommy, look! He has a Meow Wow toy!”

 

“I see that, Ventus.” The woman leaned down and gave the boy a small push towards me. “This is your cousin, Sora. Can you go say ‘hi’?”

 

Ventus took a step forward, then hesitated.

 

Maybe he was shy?

 

I grinned and ran up to him instead, “Hi! My name’s Sora!”

 

“I know... Mommy just said so,” the boy mumbled and looked at the ground.

 

He looked sad too.

 

“C’mon! You can play with me!” I took his hand and pulled him over to my pile of toys. Along with the Meow Wow, I also had Tama and Necho, and Riku even let me borrow his Komo Bat while he was at the doctors.

 

Riku was so cool like that. I missed him when he had to go to the doctors.

 

After a moment of hesitation, Ventus came with me and sat down, pulling Tama into his lap and sighing.

 

“What’s wrong, Ventus?”

 

“Just Ven...” the blonde shrugged and hugged Tama closer. “Mommy said that Daddy isn’t coming home. That we had to leave him in the ground. Now she’s sad all the time.”

 

I tried to imagine my Daddy not coming home and having to leave him somewhere. Who would read me bedtime stories?

 

Maybe that’s why Ven and his Mom were so sad. No one was around to read them bedtime stories.

 

“That’s...” I struggled to find a word that would encompass how bad that idea felt. “Very not good.”

 

Ven hiccuped, like he wanted to cry but didn’t have any tears left.

 

“But you can still remember him, right?” I asked.

 

“Huh?”

 

“When Pop Pop had to go away, Mommy said that he would forever be in my heart. As long as I remembered him. Then it would be like he never went away at all...” I tried to smile, “So... you can remember your daddy, and it’ll be okay.”

 

“I....” Ven hiccupped again, “Yeah.” He wiped under his eyes with the back of his hand.

 

We played for a little while before all of Ven’s sadness seemed to get to him and he leaned against the back of Daddy’s favorite chair, soon falling fast asleep.

 

I blinked and for a moment, I thought I saw an older boy in a chair, asleep just like Ven. but I blinked again and the vision was gone.

 

Roxie chose that moment to start crying again, pulling everyone’s attention towards him. I sighed and got up to get a closer look at him, hoping he didn’t wake Ven up.

 

Roxie was the best baby brother in the world, but sometimes he was loud.

 

“Shh...shh...” Mommy said, bouncing Roxie up and down. “It’s okay, baby. You’re just a little sleepy...”

 

I frowned, “No, he wants his blankie...” I toddled over to the diaper bag and pulled out the light blue blankie that was once my blankie, but decided that Roxie could have it. I brought it back over to the baby who was now screaming. “Sorry Roxie! I got it...” I hurried to cover him with the blanket.

 

Roxas grabbed at the cloth and pulled it closer, his sobs calming down to small hiccups and then to delighted giggles. I grinned back and made a funny face. Roxas rewarded me with a soft punch with his baby fist and another giggle.

 

“Oh Sora, you’re such a good big brother,” the woman next to mommy grinned again and ruffled my hair, “I hope Ven is a good big brother like you.”

 

I glanced at her stomach, which looked like Mommy’s right before Roxas appeared. “Are you gonna have a baby Roxas too?”

 

The woman laughed, “I’m going to have a baby, yes. But I don’t know if it’s a boy or girl yet, so I’m not sure what their name will be.”

 

“Oh...” I sighed. “Can I touch?”

 

The woman nodded and I placed a hand on her tummy with wonder. Riku’s Mommy had a baby in her tummy too, but she never let us touch. I wondered if the baby could feel my hand.

 

“Hi, baby!” After a moment, I felt something knocking against my hand, and I pulled away giggling. “The baby punched me!”

 

The woman laughed, for once her voice not tinged with sadness. “Yes, they’re quite... rambunctious. I have a feeling I might be prying Ven and him or her apart when they get older.” Then she sighed and the sadness came back, “How am I going to do this alone?”

 

Mommy instantly hugged the woman as best she could with Roxas still in her lap. “You’re not alone! We’ll be here every step of the way to help. I do wish you’d consider moving to the islands with us. It’s such a quiet place to raise children.”

 

“I know... But it’d be so far away from Father, and he gets antsy if I’m not close by.” The woman sighed. “I am glad we made this trip though. Ven’s never met his cousins before. As soon as this little one is born, we’ll be sure to make another trip so they can all get to know one another.”

 

Mommy cheered and the woman let out a small smile.

 

**\- 5 years old, Destiny Islands -**

 

“It just doesn’t make any sense!” Daddy yelled and I nearly jumped out of my hiding spot.

 

“I’ve checked with social services multiple times,” Mommy said. “They don’t have any record of Ven or his sibling.”

 

“We don’t even know if the baby was okay...” Daddy huffed and there was a loud noise, like he hit the table. I ducked even further back into the hallway, wondering if I should go back to bed.

 

But the dream was too scary. All those black creatures with the yellow eyes!

 

“I just... how did this happen?” Mommy’s voice was sad, “I can’t believe that her father didn’t send us anything to inform us. Inform you at least. She is--was--your sister-in-law. And we had to find out through a neighbor.”

 

“I don’t know...” Daddy wrapped his arms around Mommy, “We’ll find them...”

 

Mom started crying and I thought I saw Dad’s shoulders shaking too.

 

Despite the dream that still haunted me, the scene of Mommy and Daddy crying was scarier and I didn’t want to interrupt them. Instead I toddled back through the darkened hallway, headed for Roxie’s room instead.

 

He was sound asleep in his toddler bed, curled up in his blankets and sucking on his thumb. After a moment’s hesitation, I crawled in with him. He mumbled and pushed against me before finally settling back down.

 

I grabbed on to the back of his shirt, not wanting to let go.

 

In my dream, the shadows were taking everyone from me, Mommy, Daddy, Roxas and Riku.

 

Maybe the shadows took the people Mommy and Daddy are worried about too...

 

**\- 10 years old, Destiny Islands -**

 

“Sora!”

 

I struggled against the hands pulling at me. They can’t take me! They can’t take my heart! “No!”

 

“Sora!” The hands pulled and shook me, “C’mon Sora! Wake up!”

 

I struggled and whined until finally my eyes opened.

 

And saw a concerned pair of turquoise ones staring back.

 

Instantly, I felt my cheeks heat up in shame.

 

I finally got to have a sleepover with Riku and I had to go mess it up by having one of my nightmares.

 

I felt a hand reach out and touch my cheek softly and with a fresh burst of embarrassment, I realized that I had been crying in my dream. Quickly, I rubbed at my tears.

 

Would Riku hate me now? He hated it when Roxas cried and called the younger boy a baby.

 

Would Riku call me a baby?

 

“Are you okay?” Riku asked instead, taking a seat next to me on the floor, where I was still tangled up in my sleeping bag.

 

Shakily, I nodded, even as I pulled my knees up to my chest and hid my face in them.

 

Why did my dreams have to be so scary?

 

They were starting to appear when I was awake too. Not the super scary stuff, but little things... like remembering Riku and I once stayed all night on the play island, watching the stars till sunrise, but also knowing that such an event was impossible with Riku’s mother watching us all the time. Or somehow knowing what a paopu fruit tasted like, despite the well-known fact that they were a decorative, but inedible fruit.

 

“What’s with all the screaming?”

 

My hands spasmed. It was Riku’s voice, but the Riku next to me hadn’t spoken.

 

I glanced over at the door to find another Riku staring at me.

 

“Shut up, Repliku.” The voice of the Riku next to me was harsh and the other Riku stuck out his tongue before slamming the door closed.

 

Oh.... right...

 

That happened sometimes too. When I’m just... surprised that Repliku existed. Everytime I remembered Riku, I remembered him being an only child, despite the fact that Repliku was less than a year younger than Roxas, and I remembered my little brother without a problem.

 

It was weird. I also knew in my heart that the memories were true, however impossible they were, but I couldn’t figure out why I had them.

 

Or why they seemed connected to the dreams.

 

“It’s okay, Sora...” Riku wrapped an arm around me, tugging me closer to him so he could rest his head on top of mine. His long hair drifted over my face and tickled my nose, but I didn’t mind that much, instead turning my face so I could hide it in his shoulder instead. “It’s okay...”

 

“I’m sorry...”

 

“For what?”

 

I sniffed and took a deep breath, the scent of his sleepshirt settling over me like another blanket. It smelled like fresh cotton and something so distinctly Riku that I couldn’t help but find comfort in it.

 

Finally, I felt calm enough to pull away and answer his question, “For crying... for ruining our sleepover.”

 

“You didn’t ruin it!” Despite the fact that I couldn’t see it, I knew Riku was sporting a grin. “Everyone has nightmare’s Sora. Your’s just might be... scarier, than other peoples....But that just means you’re braver.”

 

“Huh?” I pulled my head away from Riku’s sleeve to look at him.

 

“Cause despite the nightmares, you still fall asleep every night to face them.” Riku’s voice was playful, but certain. “And one day, I’m gonna be strong enough.”

 

“Strong enough? For what?”

 

“To protect you...” Riku leaned in and wrapped both his arms around me. “One day, I’m not gonna be sick anymore and I can protect you from the monsters in your nightmares. But until then, can you hang on and keep facing them alone? I’m trying to get better as fast as I can and--”

 

“Riku...” I sighed and wrapped my own arms around him, “Don’t hurt yourself trying to get better, okay? You already help me face the monsters every day by just being here.”

 

“Hmm...” Riku agreed, but didn’t seem satisfied with that answer.

 

I sighed and pulled away a little. “Can you help me right now?” I felt my cheeks heat up but I continued on, “I don’t like sleeping by myself after a nightmare. Can you stay with me?”

 

“Of course.” There was no hesitation in Riku’s voice, for which I was grateful.

 

Riku helped me out of the sleeping bag that we laid out on his floor that night and pulled me into his bed instead.

 

“I’ll protect you,” Riku insisted, wrapping his arms around me. “The monsters can’t have you.”

 

I felt my face heat up, even as I got comfortable in the embrace. “They can’t have you either, okay?”

 

“Mmm, kay...” Riku smiled as he drifted off.

 

I stayed awake a moment longer. In my dreams and the impossible extra memories that I had, Riku was the exact same as he was now, except that Riku wasn’t sick.

 

I thought again of the dream I just had. Of the dark energy spiraling out of the sand and encasing Riku, transporting him away from me even as he reached out. Then the energy turned on me, pulling me apart, making me feel like my heart was getting squeezed from my chest.

 

They’re just dreams, I argued with myself. Riku and you are both fine.

 

I still worried anyway and burrowed deeper in Riku’s embrace.

 

It took me a long time to fall asleep again.

 

**\- 14 years old, Destiny Islands -**

 

I woke up, panting, my heart trying to escape my chest.

 

_Riku! Kairi!_

 

Why would Kingdom Hearts leave me with these memories?

 

Just me?

 

I was pretty sure Riku didn’t have these memories in his head. Or if he did, he didn’t say anything.

 

Leon and Cloud acted the same.

 

Leon especially. Growing up with two sets of memories of him, well...

 

It was no wonder he took in Roxas and I after our parents passed away in the car accident. It’s exactly the thing Leon would do in any life. No matter if he was trying to protect a whole refugee town or just struggling through college.

 

His boyfriend, Cloud, didn’t even blink at the prospect of suddenly raising two young teenage boys. He mostly just argued with Roxas over the shower schedule in the morning and made sure I ate my vegetables.

 

But... no one else ever mentioned another set of memories in their heads.

 

I glanced out the window at the storm rolling across the ocean in the distance.

 

Suddenly, my room seemed too enclosed, the air too hot.

 

I quickly threw the window open. In the other bed, Roxas groaned and rolled over. He could sleep through anything.

 

Usually, I could too, but lately the mixture of memories and dreams was becoming too much.

 

Another roll of thunder shook the house; the storm was approaching.

 

I remembered another storm on another night on another island.

 

I had to find Riku.

 

The irrational fear gripped me so completely that I was out the window and halfway down the tree next to the house before I realized that I had left everything from shoes to a jacket back in the room.

 

But I didn’t have time to go back for it.

 

Instead I took off running down the street, the route so familiar I didn’t have to think about it.

 

When I finally reached his house, I snuck around to the back, eager not to alert his parents to my presence. They never came out and said they didn’t like me, but....

 

... the look his mother sent me sometimes was too familiar to another witch I had clashed with in the past.

 

Luckily, his parents either never noticed or never cared that the palm tree in the backyard that provided easy access to Riku’s room and was often utilized, either for me to sneak in or for Riku to sneak out. I climbed up the trunk, hands and feet finding familiar places grab and steady myself.

 

_Knock!_

 

I froze halfway between reaching out from the tree and onto the window ledge.

 

Turning, I thought that maybe the wind from the approaching storm had knocked something into the glass, but when my eyes reached the window next over, I saw Repliku glaring at me.

 

Sheepishly, I waved, hoping that he wouldn’t inform his parents of my little escapade to see his brother.

 

After a moment, he seemed to let out a sigh and roll his eyes before closing the curtains on his window.

 

I let out a sigh and reached out to knock on Riku’s window.

 

It only took a few tries before Riku finally woke, blearily staring at me as I waved from my perch on the tree. I laughed as he rolled his eyes, in a familiar but different way than Repliku, and unlatched the window first, then the screen, letting me tumble in. Just as I landed on the soft carpeting, the thunder crashed again and the skies opened up. Riku just managed to close the window before the rain started blowing in.

 

“Any reason for a visit at this hour?”

 

I stared up at him from the carpet, and suddenly my reasons for running here in the middle of the night seemed silly.

 

Of course Riku was okay. He was just starting to recover from his childhood illness and he would never have risked his health to row over to the play island in the choppy waves.

 

There was no secret place, no door, and no physical dangerous darkness ready to take Riku away from me.

 

But still. The memory of that was too fresh now. Not the distant way I had remembered things in the past, this felt like it had just happened.

 

Riku stared at me in concern while I thought of all this but didn’t even blink when I sat up suddenly to pull him close to my chest.

 

“I just...bad dream...”

 

“Of the monsters again?”

 

“...yeah...” and in a way they had been a feature, but the scarier part was Riku fading away from me.

 

And Kairi just... disappearing.

 

I sighed and clung closer, Riku gripping me just as tight.

 

“C’mon,” he whispered after a moment, “Let’s go back to bed. We can hide you in the morning so Mom doesn’t see.”

 

“Repliku saw me...” I mumbled, even as I climbed into his bed, pulling the covers up like we did when we were ten and eleven.

 

“Yeah well...” Riku shrugged, “He’s been arguing with her more often, and she keeps threatening to send him to an orphanage... so he might not just so she doesn’t blame him for letting you in or something stupid.”

 

“That’s a horrible threat,” I turned to look at him. “Riku... no one should be threatened with that from their parent.”

 

Riku sighed and shrugged, “She switches off who she and Dad are gonna send there, depending on who is in more trouble at that moment. I don’t think she’s serious...”

 

That didn’t reassure me. I couldn’t help but feel that if Riku had his memories of the past, he wouldn’t be reassured either.

 

Just like when we were younger, Riku wrapped his arms around me and drifted right back to sleep, like I was a giant teddy bear or something. I wonder if he found as much comfort in holding me as I did in holding him?

 

I thought back to my other memories, of us and our other friend Kairi. We used to fight over her affections... but maybe now we wouldn’t. Even if she did come back to the islands.

 

Now... with the ability to reflect on the past with a different perspective, I wondered if Kairi was really ever the object of my affections? Or maybe they just shifted.

 

As if sensing my thoughts, Riku sighed and pulled me closer, his lips brushing against the skin at my neck, right where my throat met my shoulder.

 

A shiver ran through me, and I knew was blushing. It wasn’t from embarrassment, though if Riku continued to nuzzle against my neck like that, I couldn’t guarantee that we wouldn’t be waking up in an embarrassing position.

 

I gently pulled out of his embrace, just enough to roll over. It didn’t solve my little problem entirely, but at least I wouldn’t have to face him first thing with it.

 

Outside the window, the rain continued to fall, the thunder shaking the house in turns. The nightlight Riku kept in his room flickered a few times, but ultimately stayed on. A steady light in the darkness.

 

I wondered if that was the reason Riku kept the nightlight, even after saying that nightlights were for kids. I wondered if he had dreams too, of another life.

 

But if he did, he never said anything.

 

Maybe I shouldn’t either.

 

Maybe it was just...time to move forward.

 

**\- 15 Years Old, Destiny Islands -**

 

The pressure on my lips was strong, insistent, and a little overwhelming.

 

It was perfect.

 

Unfortunately, it was also short lived.

 

Riku pulled away almost as fast as he came in, his cheeks red and his eyes wide.

 

“S-Sorry!” He pulled away, “Sorry, I didn’t...I mean... I was just so excited and you were excited and I just...”

 

I huffed, biting my lip as I watched him stammer for an explanation before taking pity. I stood up on my tip toes so I could kiss his cheek, silencing him. “Riku... it’s okay to be excited. Your doctors said that you’re in the clear! No more treatments except for your medicine!” I grinned, giving him another kiss. “And this can be exciting too.”

 

“Sora...”

 

I swallowed around a suddenly dry throat. The way he looked at me...

 

No one had ever looked at me like that.

 

Not even--

 

I flashed back to a different first kiss. I was a little older but not much, and the lips that had touched mine were softer and more hesitant.

 

Safe, comfortable... but no... spark.

 

Now...

 

Now Riku leaned in again, his lips once again landing on mine, this time without the hesitation.

 

Or the urge to break away after a second or two.

 

All the cliches that Sephie had said what a first kiss should feel like? Breathless, exhilarating, with a full body tingle? Fireworks?

 

Definitely felt all that and more.

 

One of Riku’s hands wrapped around my waist, pulling me in until we were so close that our legs tangled, his other hand threading through my messy hair till it cupped the back of my head, gently tilting it till the angle felt perfect.

 

I rested my own hands on his broad shoulders, pulling away just enough to draw a breath before we met again. His tongue shyly, but confidently flicked over the seam of my lips and I gasped in surprise, then let out a little moan when his tongue snuck in and met mine.

 

Riku’s hand at my waist tightened when I let out another groan, and I suddenly realized what the firm line of heat against my hip was. But that didn’t matter too much when I knew my own erection was pressed up against Riku’s thigh.

 

We were probably moving too fast, but we also couldn’t seem to slow down.

 

What was too fast when we knew each other our whole lives and then some?

 

“Ugh.... are you two gonna be all gross now?”

 

Riku groaned in irritation and turned to glare at his thirteen year old brother. “Shut up...Don’t you have... somewhere else to be?”

 

“Nope. Not if it irritates you the most just to stand here.” Repliku leaned back against the doorframe of Riku’s room, smirking at his brother’s eye roll.

 

Despite the teasing arrogance, I couldn't help but feel a sense of... sadness coming from Repliku.

 

Not for the first time, I wondered how the younger clone of Riku fit into my memories. I knew in my heart that he did somehow, but I had no actual memory of it.

 

“It’s my good news, I can celebrate however I want.” Riku stuck out his tongue. Repliku rolled his eyes and turned away from the door.

 

“I’m gonna go take the trash out and be the best son ever!” he called out heading down the hallway, “You can stay there and be gross and the worst son ever.”

 

Riku sighed as the younger boy walked away, “He’s such a brat...”

 

“He’s thirteen,” I countered, “We were brats at thirteen.”

 

“It’s different,” Riku huffed and hugged me close.

 

“How?”

 

“Dunno... it just is.” He hid his face in my shoulder and I giggled at the bubble of happiness inside me.

 

This is how it should have always been. Not just now, but back then too. Back when it seemed like everything from darkness to light would try to drive us apart. It never could though.

 

Riku and Sora, together, always.

 

**\- 16 Years Old, Destiny Islands -**

 

Riku looked...awful.

 

His hair was mussed, and his eyes had bags under them, like hadn’t slept. His skin was pale and sickly.

 

Part of me wondered if his illness had made an unexpected resurgence.

 

Another part of me was reminded of the Riku who came back with me from the dark realm. A Riku who couldn’t sleep without nightmares plaguing him and who had barely recovered before we were recalled to take a mark of mastery test.

 

“Hey...what’s up?” I ran up to him, giving him a hug before he even replied. “You wanted to meet early?”

 

“Yeah....” Riku’s voice was soft and a little shocked.

 

But just as I was going to pull away, strong arms pulled me back in, gripping so tight, I couldn’t breathe for a moment. When I could finally catch my breath I tilted my head and murmured, “Riku? What’s wrong?”

 

He pulled away, wiping under his eyes for the stray tears that threatened to spill. “It’s... complicated.” He huffed, a wry grin at his lips, though I don’t think anything about how he was acting was humorous.

 

“Riku?” I kissed his cheek before pulling away, “C’mon. Talk to me.”

 

“Yeah... I will... just--” He was cut off when Repliku ran out of their house, slamming the door behind him.

 

“Can we go now?” Repliku grumbled, shrugging his backpack on.

 

“Well, we were waiting for you...” Riku grinned and ruffled Repliku’s hair. The younger boy didn’t even flinch, just sighed and rolled his eyes.

 

_Odd..._

 

Riku and Repliku had always had a slightly antagonistic relationship. Nothing like Roxas and I. While they would never purposely hurt each other, they also didn’t particularly like each other either.

 

The scene before me now though was practically brotherly.

 

_???_

 

“So... did you tell him about Mom?” Repliku asked, glancing at me as we walked.

 

“Not yet...” Riku admitted. “But I will as soon as we drop you off at school...”

 

“Hmm... okay.” Repliku nodded and stayed close.

 

I had wondered why we were taking the boy to school today, when usually his mother drove him.

 

“I don’t trust mom right now,” Riku muttured to me quietly, evidently guessing my thoughts. “Especially with him...”

 

“Oh?” I reached out and took his hand, which, after just a moment of hesitation, he accepted, squeezing it softly. “Well... she is kind of a witch. Can’t trust her at all...”

 

For just a second, I thought I saw something spark in Riku’s eye, and his grip on my hand tightened to the point of near crushing. But then the moment passed and he gave another small grin.

 

“Sora, you have no idea.”

 

**\- 18 years old, Radiant Garden -**

 

“Get us something good!” I encouraged as I pushed Replik--- Grey-- out the door (and the new name was going to take a bit of getting used to). “Find us some new ice cream flavors!”

 

“Kay...” Grey sighed, grabbing the money I handed him and slipping it into his pocket.

 

I frowned as the door closed after him. “He’s been... odd... for the past few days.” I tilted my head to look at Riku, who was looking up a new recipe to try, “Have he and Vani been fighting?”

 

“I don’t think so?” Riku shrugged. “He just said that he’s been tired from school. Maybe it’s just a bug?”

 

“Hmm... Maybe,” I sighed and leaned against the doorway to the kitchen, watching Riku finally pick a recipe and retrieve ingredients from the fridge. “So...”

 

“Sooo?” Riku grinned as he pulled out the chicken, then pulling a skillet off the wall.  

 

“So...” I hesitated before continuing. “How do you know Vani’s grandfather?”

 

I observed his reaction closely. There was a twitch in his hand, and his shoulders tensed up.

 

“Hmm? I don’t?” He didn’t turn around, just kept messing with the stove.

 

“Oh... then how did you make a joke about him that had Vanitas laughing so hard he spat coffee out?”

 

“... just a lucky guess...”

 

“Right...” I sighed and finally came up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist. His hands stopped messing with the stove and when snuck a peak around his shoulder, I found that it wasn’t even on. “Riku... you don’t have to lie to me.”

 

“Lie?’

 

“About... about Xehanort... about Kingdom Hearts?”

 

I pressed my face into his back, not wanting to see the confusion on his face, faked or otherwise. I wanted to have an honest conversation about this.

 

I knew he remembered.

 

But why would he keep it from me?

 

I partially blamed myself for that. Afterall, I’m his best friend. I’ve been the best at reading Riku and his moods since we were in diapers.

 

How had I missed _this_?

 

In my arms, Riku tensed up, his hands letting go of the stove and the skillet to cover my hands with his own.

 

“So... is this your way of saying you're leaving?”

 

_What?_

 

“Excuse me?” Frowning, I maneuvered Riku until he was facing me, “What... who said anything about leaving?”

 

Riku sighed and broke out of my grip. “You asked me if I remembered, right? So... that means you must remember too...” He sat at the table and put his face in his hands. “Don’t you.... Hate me?”

 

“What? Why would I hate you?” I struggled to find a reason why Riku would ever think I hated him. “You do remember what happened after the whole Xehanort’s heartless thing right? And you got locked in the realm of darkness? I forgave you for all the things that happened before that long before you even got locked in there. And I certainly never hated you for it. Frustrated sure but--”

 

“Not that...” He groaned and rubbed the back of his neck, “But yeah, that too...” He finally met my eyes, “Don’t you hate that I kept it from you? Knowing that you’re heart belongs with someone else?” He looked away, “And being selfish enough to just... want to keep you with me for a little longer?”

 

What?

 

“Who else could my heart possibly belong with?” I was genuinely confused. “I always belong here, by your side...” I shook my head, “Look, let’s just start at the beginning.”

 

I sat down at the table across from him, hoping that Grey’s little excursion to the ice cream store took a while. “When did you remember?”

 

“You remember that day I told you about what Mom said about Grey?”

 

I nodded, and then he nodded. I now realized that maybe not all of the changes in Riku since that day hadn’t just been the revelation that his mother was an actual monster and not just of the dragon variety.

 

_That_ was nearly 2 years ago.

 

How had he hidden it all this time?

 

We had been separated due to circumstances for the past few months, but still... I can’t believe he managed to hide it for so long.

 

Of course.... I had managed to hide it far longer.

 

“I didn’t want to tell you...” Riku sighed and looked at me again, “I was afraid that if I did, you’d remember and then... well... Sora, you went through so much, and...I didn’t want to burden you with that much hurt again.”

 

“Riku...” I sighed and reached across the table, grabbing his hand, “Riku, that’s not selfish at all. I guess I had the same reason for not bringing it up with you till now. Not till I was sure you already remembered. You went through so much too... I am sorry I didn’t bring it up sooner when I thought you might remember... I’ve remembered for a bit longer than just 2 years...”

 

Riku blinked, eyes wide with shock. “You...” He shook his head, “That doesn’t make any sense. If you did, you would have left to find her ages ago.”

 

Her?

 

“Do you mean Kairi?” I furrowed my brow, “I already found Kairi. Just today actually! And we went to get coffee.” I grinned, “Riku, she remembered me! She just needed a little push but then she did! Riku, it’s amazing, she’s just like how she was but a little different. She actually likes digging around dirt now! She wants to be a....what do you call a person who digs in dirt for bones and stuff?”

 

“Then why aren’t you with her right now?” Riku looked to the side.

 

I frowned, “Because she has class tonight?” Inwardly, I groaned when I realized what he was actually getting at, “C’mon Riku... I don’t love Kairi. Not like that. I love you. I have always loved you most.”

 

He still looked at me in disbelief.

 

“C’mon! Just... come get coffee with us next week. She really wants to see you too and--”

 

“No way.”

 

What?

 

“Riku?” I watched as he got up from the table and went back to the stove, apparently ending the conversation to return to dinner.

 

He was deflecting.

 

And he thought I would fall for that?

 

“Rku!” I growled and stomped over to the kitchen, “Stop doing that!”

 

“Doing what?”

 

“Shutting down. Shutting me out,” I huffed, “Look, I’m sorry I didn’t mention Kairi earlier, but I didn’t know you remembered her. I was planning on introducing you to her later and...”

 

“Why, so I would have to watch you two fall in love?” He glared at me, “Spare me the heartbreak and just... leave now...”

 

I huffed. He was so infuriating, “Do you really think so little of me? Of my love for you? Of Kairi’s respect for the both of us? That’s not fair to me or Kairi, Riku!”

 

“I know it’s not! I told you I’m selfish!”

 

“Argh! I told you! It wouldn’t have been selfish if you had just told me! We could have worked through it together instead of you always thinking you’re alone!” I stomped my foot and scooted past him in the kitchen so he couldn’t keep avoiding me.

 

“I didn’t want you to remember!”

 

“Nearly twenty years too late for that!”

 

I was met with silence after that statement. Riku’s eyes were wide with disbelief.

 

“Twe... Twenty years?”

 

A knock stopped me from answering. We both looked at the door in shock before Riku turned the stove on low and went to answer it.

 

There was another beat of silence after Riku opened the door, then I heard Vanitas’s quiet voice. “Ah... I was looking for Grey,”

 

“Uh...” Riku stumbled, “He’s not here...”

 

“I gathered.”

 

I sighed. We would get nowhere with these two leading the way. I pulled the door open further, “C’mon in, Vanitas. Riku is just being a jerk, but Repli-- I mean, Grey, should be back any moment.” I motioned for him to come inside. Riku followed us with a quiet grumble, all of his anger and misplaced resentment fading in the presence of our guest.

 

Vanitas took a seat on the couch, confident in his place in the apartment, even after hearing Riku and I shout enough to scare anyone. Riku returned to cooking, still embarrassed over the fight. I think I shocked him a little when I revealed that I had pretty much always remembered the distant past, and he needed a bit to digest that. Perhaps when he understood that I had always remembered Kairi and remembered his less than perfect past and still loved him, he would get it through his thick head that I was not leaving, despite his best efforts to apparently convince me otherwise.

 

And _I_ was supposed to be the lovable _idiot._

 

I took a seat next to Vanitas and grinned, “Grey went out to pick up some dessert for after dinner,” I explained, then rubbed the back of my neck. “Sorry you had to hear that, but sometimes Riku needs shouting at to get a point across.” I directed the last part of my sentence at the man who was trying to meld into his fridge.

 

Riku grumbled in response.

 

Definitely feeling guilty now. Which was fine, I did too. I would have to apologize later.

 

“So...” Vanitas’s voice was hesitant, “I take it you remember as well?”

 

I hummed. So he heard that. And _he_ remembered as well. That would explain this past weekend. “Well... I never really forgot, but yeah. It was more like dreams when I was younger, but it solidified over time.”

 

“How do you deal with it?”

 

Vanitas’s voice was so quiet, I could barely hear him. But I did hear the weight of the words. He was struggling the bear the weight of these memories.

 

“Hmm...” I tried to think about that. How did I handle it? It was only now that Vanitas posed the question that I realized that it might seem strange to someone who is just now remembering, how I was able to keep two sets of memories straight in my head. “Well... I guess I just keep moving forward.”

 

“Huh?”

 

I offered a grin and tried to explain,  “I don’t try to dwell on the past life, but I also have to acknowledge that all those experiences are what made who I am today.” Looking up at my boyfriend, who had finally emerged from his fridge bonding time, I thought of the perfect example. “Like, even when Riku didn’t remember things, I could tell that there were moments from his past life that were influencing his actions today. You never really stop being the person you were before, but that doesn’t mean that person’t can’t change and evolve.” I hoped that made sense.

 

Vanitas seemed to think over my words,  “I don’t remember you being all that smart...”

 

“Hey!” I shouted, only a little insulted. It was kind of true. But I still shoved him and was rewarded with a small grin. “I’m a keyblade master, I had to be at least a little smart.”

 

“Nah...” Riku muttered from the kitchen, “Pretty sure you passed on brawn and good looks alone.”

 

It was only because I knew him so well that I heard the apology behind that teasing statement.

 

But still... “No, that’s what you passed on!” I stuck out my tongue, and Riku smiled back.

 

Even when we were younger, we could never stay mad at each other for very long.

 

I was so glad that this revelation didn’t change any of that. .

 

Then the door opened, Grey’s voice calling from the hallway.

 

“I couldn’t pick what ice cream to get, so I just got both. I figured we could--” he cut himself off when he saw Vanitas sitting on the couch next to me.

 

I was only mildly surprised when Grey dropped the bags and ran, and wasn’t surprised at all when Vanitas darted after him. Riku and I only called after both of them for a second before knowing that the effort was futile.

 

Riku sighed, “Well... either this is going to end well or we’re going to need a shit ton more ice cream.”

 

I chuckled and picked up the containers Grey had dropped. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. Those two seem like they can work out their issues without our involvement.”

 

“Yeah... but Vanitas...”

 

“He just needs a friend to help him through it,” I shrugged as I put the ice cream in the freezer. “Like how you were for me when you didn’t remember. I didn’t have to tell you what I remembered, or how I felt... but you helped anyway. Just by being there. I think Vanitas needs that right now, and I think Grey is a bit more like his big brother than we like to think...”

 

Riku reddened and looked back at the chicken cooking away in the pot, “Yeah?”

 

“Yeah. He just needs a little reassurance that those he cares about aren’t leaving...” I grinned and kissed Riku on the cheek. “I’m sorry for yelling at you. I’m sorry if I ever made you feel that my love for you was conditional or that I was just biding my time with you till I found someone else. I never want to make you feel that way.”

 

Riku sighed, turning to look at me, “No... I’m sorry... you never made me feel that your love was conditional or temporary. I’m sorry for just assuming that it might have been. I’m just...” He shook his head, “You know my mother in this world is...” He trailed off.

 

I stuck out my tongue, which made him laugh a little. “Yeah, how gross is that?!”

 

“Don’t remind me...” Riku huffed and wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me in so we stood side by side while he stirred the chicken in the skillet. “Anyway... you know her love was conditional. And... even though I know it’s wrong... I guess part of it still hovers in my heart. Thinking that I have to be, or act, or do things a certain way, or else you’ll leave me... I really should have known better.” He laid a quick kiss on my temple and I couldn’t help but grin, pressing my face into his shoulder. “I should have let your actions speak for you, instead of listening to the darkness in my heart...”

 

I turned so I was facing him more fully, snaking my arm around so I could place my hand on his chest, feeling the steady beat underneath my fingers. “You don’t have to do anything Riku, or be anything other than what you already are: my best friend and the love of my life.” I leaned in to kiss his cheek again.

 

He tilted his face so he could catch my lips.

 

Minutes passed and it was only the threat of a burned dinner that we finally stopped kissing, though Riku’s hands had to untangle themselves from my hair and somehow his shirt had managed to disappear in that short time span.

 

I managed to flip the chicken so it didn't burn that badly while Riku put his shirt back on.

 

Riku sighed, wrapping his arms around me as we continued to watch the chicken cook, pressing his lips lightly to my neck. “I’m still not sure if I’m ready to face Kairi yet.”

 

I sighed, but didn’t want to argue about that right now. “I...well. I can’t say I understand why. But I understand that you need time.” I turned in his arms to look at him, “Just know that I will keep asking, so I know when you are ready.”

 

“Okay...” Riku offered me a small grin and I couldn’t help but kiss him again.

 

A scuffle just outside the door interrupted us before we could get too carried away again. There was a pair of laughs before it grew suspiciously silent.

 

Grinning, I broke away from Riku and went over to the apartment door, throwing it open and catching the two tangled up in each other’s embrace.

 

“Well, well...” I chuckled at their faces, turning to share a look with Riku.

 

It would get better.

 

It had too.

 

Why else would these memories all be returning now?

 

**\- 18 (and a half) Years Old, Radiant Garden -**

 

“Nervous?” Riku grinned, fixing my hair up a bit. My backpack felt heavy, but I was eager to go and begin this new journey.

 

“Nah...” I grinned, “What do I have to be nervous about? It’s just college.”

 

“First day of university...” Riku corrected, pressing his lips to mine, “I’ll see you after class yeah?”

 

“Yea--no...” I trailed off, “I promised Kairi I’d meet her after my class was done.” I glanced up at him, “You could always...”

 

“Not yet...” He sighed and looked away, “Sorry...”

 

I was sad at his answer, but tried not to show it, “It’s ok. You’ll be ready when you’re ready.”

 

Riku grinned, kissing me softly again. I leaned leaned into it, arms snaking around his neck.

 

It wouldn’t leave too bad of an impression if I was late on the first day...right?

 

“Ugh... you’re being all gross again.”

 

I broke away at Grey’s teasing, leaning in with my hands on my hips. “Oh yeah? What, we can’t be gross while you got your own boyfriend to be gross with?”

 

Grey blushed and stuck out his tongue, “It’s only gross when it’s Riku... he’s my brother...”

 

Riku laughed and sat his coffee down on the table. He didn’t start class till tomorrow, and so had one more day of freedom before getting back to the grind.

 

I huffed out my own laugh and pushed Grey towards the door, “C’mon. I’m sure Vanitas is waiting for you.”

 

“Yeah...” Grey hurried to put his shoes on and I sneaked in one last kiss with his brother before we both ran down the stairs.

 

Sure enough, Vanitas was sitting on the steps leading up to the apartment building, fiddling with his new cell phone, but when he saw Grey he instantly stood up and met the silver haired boy with a kiss.

 

I chuckled, “Gross...”

 

Grey broke from Van’s lips and stuck his tongue out at me, “Shut up and go to school.”

 

I grinned and ruffled them both on the hair and turned, heading towards the university.

 

A new journey was about to begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The subtitle for the chapter is from "Still Believe," From Cinderella 3 A Twist in Time (which is a WAY better sequel than it had any right to be...). The song was originally sung by Hayden Panettierre (and I didn't realize the irony of that till after I picked it as the subtitle for Sora's chapter...)


	3. Aqua

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, this is one chapter I'm super excited to share. The second half of it was the very first epilogue I wrote for the original story (long before I even knew Aqua would make an appearance). When I decided to have each characters epilogue pov include the moment they remember their past life, Aqua's was one of the easier ones to write.

 

_ ~For It’s Out of the Darkness That We Learn to See~ _

 

**\--1 Year Ago, Radiant Garden--**

 

“Aqua! Keep you stance grounded. Be the immovable rock that Terra is...” 

 

Inwardly, I groaned and shifted my glance over to Terra, who, predictably, stuck his tongue out at me. 

 

It must be easy to be a rock when he was 90% muscle head to begin with. And as dense as granite.

 

But I couldn’t get comfortable in this position. Grounded like a rock. What does that even mean? I preferred to go with the flow, staying light on my feet and making powerful strikes when I could. Sometimes, I thought that if I just willed it hard enough, I could stay in the air indefinitely, like a cloud. 

 

Even rivers and rain could cut through the mightiest rock, given time. 

 

But, I had to master this particular moveset, which involved a lot of “staying grounded.” 

 

“You’re thinking too hard about it,” Terra stated, sliding closer so that he wouldn’t be overheard by the other students in class, “You gotta like... I don’t know. Feel the ground under your feet. It’s gotta anchor you.” He was trying to help and I understood that, but... I just couldn’t feel what he felt. 

 

“Excellent job, Mulan,” Eraqus mentioned to another student. 

 

I glanced over to where Mulan stood, feet firmly planted on the ground. If it wasn’t for her modern t-shirt and shorts, she could have probably passed for a statue. I looked down at my own feet, trying to mirror her stance, but even I knew that whatever it was that Mulan and Terra felt, I just didn’t have it yet. 

 

After another moment of trying to “feel the ground,” Master Eraqus deemed practice done for the evening. 

 

“We’ll return to this at another time. Perhaps some of you can approach it from a different angle next week.”

 

“Yes, Master.” I bowed deep, like I had been trained, watching as Terra, Mulan, and the other students did the same. 

 

We headed for the locker rooms. I quickly changed into some non-sweaty attire, still disappointed in myself for not immediately understanding what “staying grounded” meant.

 

“You’ll get it!” Mulan greeted me after she was done with her quick shower. “I think it’s all about balance. You got all the quick moves down, but now you gotta work on the other end of the spectrum. Slow and steady and all.”

 

“It’s... this is just so different from ballet,” I muttered, changing into a clean bra, “Can’t believe Terra talked me into it.”

 

“Aww... don’t lie!” Mulan grinned, swinging her bag up to her shoulder, the little red dragon charm chiming with the movement. “You love it...” She waved as she left

 

Huffing, I couldn’t help but grin and wave back, “Yeah. I do.” 

 

I really did. 

 

I complained that Terra talked me into taking karate lessons, but he didn’t have to talk all that hard. After my love for ballet just sort of stagnated, I wasn’t in a good place. Without another outlet, college felt more like a chore than anything else, and my roommate, Drizella didn’t help matters. 

 

But then I befriended the tall, muscled shy guy in my freshman human anatomy class:

 

_ “Hey can I borrow your notes from Monday?” I asked the girl next to me, but she either didn’t hear me or was ignoring me, for she didn’t even take off her headphones.  _

 

_ I sighed. I know it was my fault for sleeping through class, but I just couldn’t find the energy to get out of bed Monday morning. Maybe it was my fault for picking such an early class, but I also blamed my roommate who spent all night on her computer talking to her boyfriend who either lived in a different time zone, or was a complete night owl.  _

 

_ Drizella also didn’t believe in headphones.  _

 

_ “Here, you can borrow mine...” A quiet voice came from my other side.  _

 

_ Glancing over, I was surprised to see the class “cool guy” offering me his notebook.  _

 

_ I never quite got his name... something earthy I think... Grant, maybe? But I did know how all of his fangirls talked about him behind his back. None of them had ever actually approached the guy though, thinking he was just too cool to notice them.  _

 

_ Whatever though, notes were notes and I couldn’t afford to miss any. I quickly grabbed his notebook, starting to copy down all that I had missed the previous class period. As I copied though, I couldn’t help but notice all the little robot doodles in the margins. One of them had a text bubble that read ‘The gear is connected to the... other gear. Because I am a robot and I have no bones.’ _

 

_ I couldn’t help the giggle that escaped my throat and I passed the notebook back. “Cute drawings.” _

 

_ His face flushed and he hurriedly took the book back, “They’re just... you know... sometimes it helps to focus on something else while listening and..” _

 

_ “Hey...” I laid a hand gently on his arm before he could stutter himself to oblivion, “I get it. I really like them. They’re great.”  _

 

_ Finally, he seemed to take a deep breath to calm down. “Thanks.” _

 

After that first meeting, we got to talking more and really hit it off. Terra told me about growing up with his foster dad, while I confided in him about the death of my mother and the love she had instilled in me for ballet. 

 

As the problems in the dorm room got worse, with Drizella seeming to actively try to make my life miserable, Terra and Master Eraqus offered to let me room with them off campus instead.

 

“Dad is always either working at the studio or teaching philosophy at the graduate school. He’s been hoping I’d get another roommate anyway,” Terra confided to me as I packed up my items in the dorm room during a brief, Drizella-free period, “I think he thinks I’ll burn the apartment down or something.”

 

We had quickly become best friends after that. Terra invited me to join in on a beginner’s karate class he was helping his dad teach and I quickly realized that I had found a new hobby to love. 

 

If only I could figure out this “grounded” thing. 

 

Terra met me by the doors. 

 

“So... wanna pick up something from La Ratatouille’s for dinner? I think the stove is still recovering from the last time you cooked...” He grinned, teasing and I poked him right in the chest in retaliation. 

 

“I set the stove on fire once, and you are never gonna it go, are you?” 

 

“Only because I  _ never _ set the stove on fire while trying to boil water,” he laughed and I poked him again and again until he finally flinched and tried to defend himself against my assault, still chuckling.

 

Finally, I huffed out a grin, unable to stay mad at him for long, especially when he was laughing. “You checked in with the Master?”

 

“Yeah, Dad said he’s gonna stick around for another hour or so to go over financial paperwork, so we’ll just bring something back for him.”

 

“Great!” I grinned, swinging my bag onto my shoulder. Terra hurried to turn off all of the downstairs lights. 

 

It wasn’t until he turned out the last one that I noticed that the studio wasn’t getting any darker. 

 

If anything, it was getting brighter. 

 

“Aqua! Look out!” Terra grabbed me, pulling me out from in front of the studio window. 

 

We watched in disbelief as a car plowed towards the studio, swerving at just the last minute before hitting the glass. The lights dimmed as the car stopped. Just as we were starting to breath again, there was the unmistakable sound of a car door opening. 

 

“Stay here,” Terra said, pushing me so I was out of sight of the window. 

 

Stubbornly, I followed anyway. 

 

We both heard the sound of something heavy hitting the pavement. Then the car door closed. Terra rushed out the door, while I followed behind more slowly, concerned about what had hit the pavement. 

 

Car tires squealed as they got away, faster than Terra or I could run. 

 

“Hey!” Terra called out, “You shouldn’t be driving if you’re drunk!” 

 

The words were useless, as far away as the car was. 

 

I glanced over, trying to see what had been dumped out of the car. 

 

A bright white shirt and blonde hair met my gaze. 

 

“Terra!” I called out, running over to the prone body. 

 

Terra stopped trying to chase down the car and instead ran back, “Aqua? What’s-- Oh shit!” He rushed to my side as we gently pushed the body over. 

 

Nervously, I checked for a pulse. As soon as my fingers touched his neck, there was a weak cough and then some labored, but steady breathing. Glazed, unfocused eyes blinked open. 

 

It was just a boy, maybe eighteen or so. 

 

“Hey, are you alright?”

 

The boy blinked at Terra’s voice, hearing it, but not recognizing the worlds. Then he glanced at me and his eyes slipped closed again. 

 

“...vanitas...” the boy breathed out before slipping unconscious. 

 

Terra almost reached out to shake him, but I caught his arm before he could do so. “Terra, go and get Master Eraqus. We need to get him to a hospital.”

 

“Right...” Terra quickly ran back inside. 

 

Worriedly, I placed a gentle hand on the boy’s forehead, feeling the fever radiating off of it. At his side, there was a dark spot on his shirt that was slowly spreading. I hoped Terra would return soon as my phone was out of battery. 

 

I glanced back at the sleeping face. 

 

A shiver ran through me, despite the unusually warm winter air. 

 

Why did this feel so familiar?

 

\---

 

The hospital was...awkward. 

 

Master Eraqus was unable to answer any questions about the boy to the hospital staff, so they treated him as “John Doe,” until his family could be found. 

 

Neither Terra nor I felt that we should just leave him there, even unconscious, so we visited everyday after class. Master Eraqus would come as well, deeply concerned for the boy’s wellbeing. 

 

Terra and I never found out who dropped him off at our doorstep, though I had a feeling Master Eraqus might have known. 

 

After nearly a month of waiting, I was finally greeted with the sight of those blue eyes opening again. Blearily, and still glazed over. He gave a grunt of pain before glancing over to me. 

 

“Oh! You’re awake!” Excitedly, I put my laptop down from where I had been working on homework and rushed to the door to call for a nurse. 

 

“...’qua?”

 

“Huh?” I tilted my head. It sounded like he was calling my name. But... how could he have known? 

 

I heard of patients in comas being able to hear conversations around them. Maybe he picked it up from there. 

 

“Aqua?” the boy said again, this time in confusion, like he didn’t understand why I wasn’t answering. 

 

“Yes?” 

 

The boy’s eyes cleared up a bit more and he let out a nervous smile, “C’mon Aqua! What’s that look for? Where’s Terra?”

 

“Terra’s...” I trailed off. 

 

There was something about him. Something in the way he said my name. 

 

“Aqua?” 

 

I clutched my forehead. It was like... a dam bursting forth. I felt my teeth clench against the onslaught. 

 

“Aqua?!... Hey! Don’t worry about me! Check on her! I think she might be injured or something!” Ven’s voice was full of concern. 

 

_ Ven _ !

 

“Ventus!” I exclaimed, now looking over at the boy on the bed with new eyes. He was still fighting off the nurses who were trying to take his pulse. 

 

“Ven!” I waved away the nurse who had run over to check on me and hurried to Ven’s side. “Ven...” Hesitantly, I wrapped my arms around him. 

 

“Aqua!” I could feel Ven’s infectious grin through my shirt as he squeezed me tight. 

 

“Miss?” one of the nurses gently touched my arm. “Please, I know you’re relieved that your friend is awake, but we still need to take his blood pressure.”

 

Oh...

 

“Right...Sorry...” Gently, I pried Ven’s grip away from me and pushed him back onto the bed. “Ven, you gotta let these nurses look at you. Okay? Then we can talk...”

 

“Hmm...” Ven looked so confused. “Well... okay.”

 

I stepped out of the room, trying to collect my thoughts. 

 

“Aqua!” 

 

I startled at the noise and glanced up. Terra. 

 

_ Terra _ .

 

My best friend stopped in front of me, his eyes full of worry. “Aqua? You okay? You look pale...”

 

“Ven... Ven woke up...” I muttered in a small voice. Part of me wanted to embrace him. Hold him so close that he couldn’t get lost ever again. 

 

The other part of me found that ridiculous. I had just seen Terra this morning. 

 

“Hmm... Ven? So that’s his name?”

 

“Yes...” I trailed off. This was too much. 

 

“Great! Let’s go say hi!”

 

_ Oh no.  _

 

“Terra! Wait!” I tried to stop him, but he was already in the room. 

 

“Terra!” Ven called out, happy and eager to see the brunet, as always. 

 

The effect on Terra was immediate. The brunet let out a small gasp before he practically collapsed in my arms, clutching his head the same way I had. 

 

“What is the meaning of this?!” one of the nurses,  _ Daisy _ , I think, cried out. “I know we’re in a hospital, but I’d rather not have any more patients in this room.” 

 

“Sorry!” I apologized. “He’s just... not had enough to eat today. That’s all. Promise.”

 

“Hmph...” She tapped her foot and pursed her lips, “Well, if you’re sure. I suggest that as soon as he recovers, you both take a break to go to the cafeteria.”

 

“Of course... we just want to say hi to our friend first.”

 

“Well... alright,” Daisy quickly finished her check up before she and the other nurse left the room. “I’ll be watching. If you two don’t head down to the cafeteria soon, I’m banning you from the room till you do.”

 

I couldn’t help but grin. She hadn’t changed at all, “I understand.” 

 

She nodded, then closed the door. 

 

“Terra?” Ven called out softly, “Terra, what’s wrong?”

 

“Ven?” Groaning, Terra sat up, still clutching his head. “Ven... is that really you?”

 

“Of course it is!” Ven was starting to look worried, “Terra, what’s wrong? Why are you and Aqua dressed so funny? What is this place?”

 

“It’s called a hospital, Ven...” Once I was sure Terra could support himself, I stepped over to Ven’s bed, “Magic doesn’t work here, so this is where they heal people.”

 

“Magic doesn’t work?” Ven’s brow furrowed, “Where are we then?”

 

Did he not live another life here? But... his clothes when we first found him were from this world. 

 

Something was wrong. 

 

“That’s complicated,” I diverted, “We can’t explain it all right now. The important thing is that you’re safe.”

 

“Right...” Ven looked at me like he didn’t quite believe me, which was fine for now. “So...we’re dressed like this so we don’t upset the world order?”

 

“...sort of...”

 

“Oh... but what about the battle? Who won?”

 

Battle?

 

Did he mean the battle for Kingdom Hearts?

 

My throat went dry as the memories of that last battle ran through my head. 

 

The sounds of the hospital seemed to fade away as I was lost in a cloud of keyblades clashing, the cries of the fallen. Terra... Ven...  and Riku... Sora...Kairi... Were they all...?

 

“Aqua.”

 

A soft touch on my hand startled me out of the memory and I shook my head, looking down at where Ven’s hand clasped my own. 

 

“We can talk about that later as well...” I murmured. “Just... Please let me have this moment where I can look at both of you and know that your safe?”

 

“Sure,” Ven agreed readily. 

 

Terra offered a small, sad smile and took a seat on Ven’s other side, taking the blonde’s other hand. “How are you feeling?”

 

“Like a huge unversed ran into me...” Ven muttered, and Terra huffed out a startled laugh. 

 

I suddenly remembered what Ven had gasped out right before he lost consciousness the night we found him. 

 

_ “...Vanitas...” _

 

Unconsciously, I tightened my grip around Ven’s hand. 

 

Did that monster have something to do with Ven’s injury now? Don’t tell me he’s here in this world as well. Hasn’t he done enough damage?

 

Ven’s startled noise brought me back out of my thoughts and I shook my head, offering him a small smile. 

 

I would think about that later. But for now, I would spend the time I had with my three best friends. 

 

**-1 year later, Radiant Garden-**

  
  


The computer was not cooperating. My fingers dragged across the mousepad in an absent minded figure eight pattern, but the tiny arrow did not respond. The computer acted as if I cast Stopza on it, which I had not. Though, at the moment, I was seriously considering a Firaga spell. 

 

If I could still cast magic, that is. 

 

Groaning, I resigned to having to force a restart of the computer, risking losing parts of my term paper, but saving my sanity after staring at the frozen computer for nearly 10 minutes. My finger pressed the power button with perhaps a little more aggression than strictly necessary. 

 

The screen was just rebooting when the front door opened and slammed shut. Frowning, I turned to see who it was. It was much too early for Terra and Ven to be home, and Master Eraqus wasn’t due back for another few hours. 

 

I saw spiky black hair before anything else. Then the muttered grumbling of a voice as tanned hands yanked off black and red shoes, practically kicking them towards the rug by the door. Then a red backpack was chucked near them before my intruder threw himself on the couch. Several white pages filled with text fluttered to the floor beside him as a loud, worn out sigh came underneath the pillow now hiding the intruder’s face. 

 

“Vanitas?” I questioned, though his identity could be confirmed by spiky black hair alone. 

 

“Boys are stupid,” came the muffled reply. 

 

“Yes, they can be occasionally, though I hope you’re including yourself in that sentiment.”

 

A noncommittal grunt came from the pillow. 

 

I sighed, not really sure what to do in this situation. “You know, Ven won’t be home for a few more hours.”

 

Finally, one golden eye peeked from beneath the pillow. “I can wait...” 

 

“Uh huh...” I stepped over and picked up the papers that had fallen to the ground. “Or... you can tell me what’s wrong. I can try to help... you know... Since boys are stupid and all...”

 

The other gold eye made an appearance, and Vanitas let out a long sigh. “Grey and I had a fight...”

 

“Because...” I prompted. 

 

“I told you... boys are stupid...”

 

I sighed and shuffled the papers in hand before going over and prodding at his legs. “C’mon... move your feet or I sit on them.” 

 

The pillow lowered completely, Vanitas giving me an unreadable look before he grunted and moved so that his legs only covered 2/3 of the couch. I conceded the small win and took a seat. “You want to start at the beginning?” I asked. 

 

Vanitas was silent for a long moment. As the seconds ticked on, I began to panic. “Or you can wait till Ven gets home. You don’t have to tell me anything, I just want to help.”

 

Vanitas let out a grunt and looked away. After a moment, I realized that he was looking at the papers I still held in my hand. 

 

“Mrs. Tremaine... my economics teacher... she gave out this assignment about a week ago. We had to take someone out on a date with only a hundred munny and then write a paper on how wisely we spent the money and how that shows financial responsibility or some shit.”

 

“Language,” I corrected automatically, but merely received a glare for my efforts. 

 

“You say worse all the time when trying to beat Terra at that racing video game. Ven and I can hear you all the way in his room.”

 

I felt my cheeks heat up a bit at his words, which were true. I just didn’t realize I was saying those things quite that loudly. “Okay, fair enough. So how did you do on the assignment?”

 

Another grunt and Vanitas hid himself behind the pillow again. “See for yourself...”

 

I looked again at the papers in my hand. There was no title, but a quick glance over the text revealed that Vanitas had put a lot of thought into it, mostly countering that, with today’s prices such as 500 munny movie tickets and 1000 munny train tickets to the beach, it would be better to save the 100 munny each week, and take more expensive meaningful dates, with the saved money. Vanitas then went on to outline the many free date ideas that he and Grey had done in one weekend. He finally mentioned that since the project did require that they spend 100 money, he bought Grey and himself two sea salt ice cream bars. Overall, it was a very well written paper, mostly showing that dates were more about getting to know another person rather than the amount of money spent, and that financial responsibility included prioritizing wants. 

 

Then I saw the grade at the end of the paper:

 

  1. _Vanitas, this assignment was to go on a date, not an outing with a friend. Please redo the assignment, along with an extra page on what you did wrong with this paper. - Mrs. Tremaine_



 

I had to reread the sentences a few times, feeling my cheeks redden again, this time in anger instead of embarrassment. “How... That’s... this assignment is ridiculous!”

 

“Yeah... and you didn’t even see the girls date suggestions...”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“Xion showed me later. She’s in the same class. On the ‘boys’ paper, we had suggestions like ‘ don’t make gross sounds’ or ‘don’t drive recklessly’... my personal favorite was ‘girls like pretty gifts and flowers’. But the girls had things like ‘don’t spend all your time worrying about your appearance’ and ‘don’t go to the bathroom in groups’... or just the general ‘be lady-like.’”

 

“What does that even mean?!” I fumed. 

 

“Don’t ask me!” Vanitas huffed and a hint of a smile crossed his features before fading away. “But yeah... when I complained to Grey... he got mad cause I didn’t tell him that our date was for a paper.”

 

“Ah...” I murmured, just to have something to fill the gap in his story. 

 

“He said I, like, cheapen our date or something. He got mad cause that was the first time I actually asked him out and I ended up having other motivations...” Vanitas turned and looked to the floor. “I didn’t though... I had asked him before she assigned the stupid paper... it was just... convenient timing.” 

 

“And did you tell him that?”

 

Vanitas actively avoided my gaze. “We may have started shouting before that point...”

 

I sighed and leaned back against the couch. “Well... Let’s start with the basics. What do you care about more at this point, your grade on the paper or your relationship with Grey?”

 

Vanitas glared at me. “Don’t be stupid. Grey. Always.” 

 

“Okay then... Well, if you want my advice, you should probably apologize to him for not telling him about the assignment before hand.  And then maybe you should take him on an actual date, date.”

 

“But I do take him on actual dates. We get smoothies and go to the park or play video games or stuff.” 

 

“Yeah... but...” I trailed off, not sure how to explain it. Then I thought back to the point he made in his paper. “Sometimes, dates are not just about getting to know another person. Sometimes they can be about experiencing something new together. Making new memories to share.”

 

The look he gave me was layered in scepticism, but he collapsed back onto the couch and sighed. “Fine... what do people do on a ‘date, date.’”

 

“Well... There’s always dinner and a movie?”

 

Again, the glare, and I was glad it didn’t hold the same amount of rage and hate it used to. “I know I’m not the most socially adept person, in this world or the last, but even I know that is stupidly clich é d.” 

 

“I prefer the term classic,” I replied, frowning. “Well... Ella and her boyfriend go dancing a lot.”

 

“I do not dance.” 

 

“Well...” I trailed off, wildly trying to think of something. My eyes glanced back over to Vanitas’s backpack, where a green star keychain, a birthday gift from Ven, hung from one of the bag’s zippers. “Oh... you and Grey like looking at the stars right?”

 

“...yeah?” 

 

Hurriedly, I ran back to my computer where my notebook and mail sat, rifling through the papers till finally coming across a postcard. “Here, the observatory is having a reduced admission day this weekend. And there’s a special exhibit! You guys can go there and spend a day.” I held out the postcard which he took after some hesitation. 

 

“You think he’d like that?” 

 

“Well.. you can always ask to make sure...”

 

Another sigh, before Vanitas relinquished his hold on the pillow and sat up. “Yeah...”

 

He made no move towards his cell, so I figured he might have needed an hour or two before he and Grey could talk without shouting. “This assignment though...”

 

“I’m not taking a girl out just to--”

 

“I’m not suggesting you should,” I interrupted quickly. “I mean... the way I see it, you have two choices, you could either just rewrite basically the same paper and change Grey’s name.... Or you can tell the teacher that your dates with Grey are just that, dates. Though... that was rather obvious in the paper.”

 

“Yeah... I literally said ‘I went out with my boyfriend, Grey, and we did this’. I don’t think I can spell it out any clearer.... And I don’t want to change Grey’s name just to fit Mrs. Tremaine’s idea of normal. My dates shouldn’t be made any less legitimate just because there with a boy.”

 

“Would you fail the class with this grade?”

 

“Nah... she might be irritated if I don’t redo it though...”

 

“Maybe you should remind her that you completed the assignment by going on a date with your boyfriend. See what she says then. If she still says that it’s not a legitimate date or some such nonsense, then you could ask Master Eraqus to talk with her... or Leon... both are listed as your legal guardians. She can’t treat you any differently because of who you love...”

 

Vanitas’s cheeks reddened at the ‘L’ word, “I don’t... I mean...” he trailed off, looking away from me and at the ceiling instead.

 

I giggled at his expression. For some reason, I thought of the Vanitas that faced me in another Radiant Garden, in another time, so long ago. That Vanitas wouldn’t  _ -couldn’t _ \- have entertained the notion of love, but the one in front of me now struggled to deny his feelings, trying to hide his blushing cheeks with the pillow while still sputtering out attempted denials. I placed my hand on his arm. “It’s okay, you know.” 

 

He sighed and lowered his pillow a bit. “...Is it okay I can’t say it outloud yet?”

 

“Of course!” 

 

The look he gave me was half doubtful, half grateful. After a moment more, relinquished his hold on the pillow and sat up fully. 

 

“Bet you can’t beat me at that racing game.”

 

For a moment, I thought back to the paper I had half written on the computer, then I offered Vanitas a grin. “You’re on!”

 

Later, I was both amused and a little embarrassed when Terra told me that the first thing he and Ven had heard when they got home was me shouting, “Take that back you little fucker! You can’t go around turning cars into damn teacups!”

 

Beside me, trying to keep a hold of his controller, was Vanitas, laughing so hard that he was struggling to breathe, but still somehow managing to beat me at the race. For the 36th time. 

 

After dinner, Vanitas helped wash dishes then put on his shoes to return to Leon’s house as he still had school in the morning. As he was tapping his shoe on the ground to check the fit, his cell rang. 

 

Vanitas barely glanced at the caller ID before he immediately picked up, “Hey...” A beat of silence and then, “No, no... I’m sorry. I should have told you about the assignment....”

 

He looked over at me, uncertainty in his eyes and I gave him what I hoped was a nod of encouragement. He nodded back and then turned to his phone. “Hey... would you like to go to the observatory with me this weekend? Like... a real date? They have a couple of exhibits and.--” 

 

He stopped talking and Grey must have responded in the positive based on a huge smile that broke out over his face. 

 

“Yeah... yeah, I’ll see you tomorrow...” 

 

He was still grinning even as he hung up the phone and finished putting his shoes on. He waved at everyone and opened the door to leave, hesitating at the threshold for a moment before letting go of the door and running back inside. 

 

I still had my hand raised in a wave when two arms encircled me, and my face became buried in spiky black hair.

 

“Thanks, Aqua.”

 

The words were quiet, nearly inaudible, but I heard them all the same. I wrapped my arms around him and gave a quick squeeze. “Any time,” I replied, just as softly. 

 

Quickly, he pulled away and ran back out the still open door. 

 

Turning, I laughed at the confused expressions on Terra and Ven’s faces, their heads tilted in near perfect harmony as they tried to process what just happened. 

 

“What was that about?” Ven asked, finally getting over his confusion to voice the question. 

 

“Oh... you know. Boys are stupid...”

 

“HEY!”

 

I laughed and retreated back to the computer, ready to complete that essay. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The game that Vanitas and Aqua play at the end of this epilogue is Walt Disney World Quest Magical Racing Tour, which was kinda a Disney version of Mario Kart and was the only kart racing game my brother and I played growing up. And yes, you can turn the cards into tea cups (and frogs) and they have similar missiles to the 'blue shells' in Mario Kart. (i think... Never played Mario Kart...sorry...). I keep hoping they'll re-release this game for the PS4 but I doubt it.... Now I'm just hoping for something similar...
> 
> The subtitle for this section is from "There is Life" sung by Allison Krauss in Bambi 2.


	4. Riku

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riku's turn! I was excited to write about how and when Riku remembered, and the second part of his epilogue was one of my favorites to write. Hope you all like it!

 

_ ~Like Dawn Turning Into Day~ _

 

**\--Two Years Ago, Destiny Islands--**

 

I groaned, leaning back in my chair and taking a break from this stupid history paper. Who cares when and how and why Radiant Garden became the capital? It happened, move on. My eyes drifted closed; maybe a brief nap would help?

 

It was nearly midnight.

 

_ Bzzt! _

 

I grinned. Only one other person would be up this late, probably also working on the same procrastinated homework. 

 

Sure enough, when I opened the text, Sora’s name followed by a number of heart emojis popped up. 

 

_ Hey... So... When was Radiant Garden founded again? _

 

I huffed out a quiet chuckle, typing back:

 

_ I can’t give you all the answers. Check your textbook. Page 138 I think. _

 

The response came less than a minute later, followed by two more in quick succession.

 

_ Ahh yes. The textbook.  _

 

_ The textbook with all the information in it.  _

 

_ The textbook with all the information in it that I may have left in my locker.  _

 

I was giggling at this point. Only Sora could make me laugh this hard. Another buzz from the phone with a final text. 

 

_ That textbook? _

 

This time, I couldn’t hold back the laugh as it burst out of me. I quickly covered my mouth hoping that my parents hadn’t heard me. With any luck, they were still downstairs having one of their late night ‘discussions.’

 

_ Yes Sora, that textbook.  _

 

A few seconds later:

 

_ Ahh... you see my problem then.  _

 

I shook my head in disbelief. Sora  _ would _ forget a textbook for a class we have a paper due in tomorrow. 

 

I started to type out my reply when hurried footsteps sounded across the hall and my door slammed open. 

 

Repliku. 

 

I turned to glare at him, my mouth already open to ask what the hell he was thinking, but the look on his face gave me pause. 

 

Anger, hate, confusion, and fear. So, so much fear. 

 

Between one blink and the next, my little brother launched himself at me, fists flying. But they were ill-aimed and half-hearted. 

 

“I hate you! I hate you!” 

 

Flustered, I tried to catch the flying fists. “Woah, Repliku? What.. What’s gotten into--”

 

“It’s not fair!” He screamed into my shirt, voice muffled. I hurried to shush him, but if my parents were still in having a discussion, they were hopefully too far away in this big house to hear him. 

 

“It’s not fair...” His whole body shook with sobs. “They’ll still pick you...No matter what I do. You’re still their  _ real _ son and they want a  _ perfect _ son and I... I’m not that...” He glared up at me. “As long as you’re around, I’ll never be anything more than a shadow!” 

 

Instinctively, I felt my hand clench up. Not in a fist, but more... more like I was trying to summon something. 

 

But what?

 

As soon as I thought the question, the answer came clearly. 

 

_ Keyblade _ . 

 

I felt my heart stop, and for a moment, part of me thought I was gonna have another attack. My medicine! Where’s my pills?

 

The other part of me was a little preoccupied at the moment with the landslide of memories and emotions that washed over me. 

 

Meeting Repliku, fighting him. But not here, in the beach house we grew up in, but elsewhere. In front of a different big house... in a forest?

 

Defeating him... and watching him fade away. 

 

A weak punch to my jaw startled me out of my thoughts and I was immediately pushed back into the present. Here and now. 

 

I had to focus on the problem of now. 

 

Looking at Repliku, I didn’t feel the resentment I had felt most of my life, nor the confused resignation I had felt in that memory. 

 

Now all I felt was pity and guilt. 

 

Repliku couldn’t be the same person as the replica though, right? Diz--Ansem the Wise-- had said that the replicas weren’t real, and in some ways, were similar to a Nobody. 

 

But... blonde hair and sky blue eyes came to mind. Roxas came to be his own person. As  _ Sora’s _ little brother...

 

Could the same have happened here?

 

I dodged another punched aimed for my face and instead wrapped my arms around him, pressing Repliku close to my chest. He froze, confused for a moment, before he melted into the embrace, hiding his face in my shirt and crying. 

 

It was too much to think about now, while Repliku was still upset. I could have time to think of it all later. 

 

“Shh... I’m sorry,” I murmured to him, “You’re more than a shadow. So, so much more.”

 

He hiccuped a sob and just leaned in further, seeking comfort from somewhere, even if it was from a brother he thought had resented him. 

 

Five minutes ago, I thought I did too. 

 

Once he calmed down and was no longer hiccupping, I ran a hand through his hair. “Now... What’s wrong? Why did you run in here just now?”

 

Was he the replica?

 

Did he remember, too?

 

“Hic... I went downstairs to get a glass of water and Mom and Dad were still down there talking.” He wiped under his eyes with the back of his hand and continued. “They... they were talking about us. About which one of us they would keep.” 

 

I shifted so we could both sit comfortably on the bed, his whole body leaning in to me. “You know they just tease us about that...” 

 

“No. They don’t.”

 

And no...they really didn’t. Over the top of my brother’s head, I glared at the open doorway. 

 

Thinking of my parents, another memory flashed by. A horrible, horrible witch, who twisted and manipulated my every desire until I was just monster of my former self. 

 

_ Mother dearest.  _

 

I didn’t know who my father was... perhaps just some soul who was just as horrendous as she was. 

 

“What did they say?” I asked. 

 

“They...” another hiccup, “Or... rather Mom. Mom was saying that they had to keep us both... just in case...in case you’re heart gave out... and they’d need... a replacement.”

 

The last part was said so softly, it took a minute for my brain to comprehend what I had heard. 

 

A replacement?

 

They... they wouldn’t!  _ Couldn’t _ !

 

Could they?

 

Though I was young, I remember the procedures and processes that they went through to have Repliku. As close to a clone as they could get. 

 

_ An investment for your future _ , my mother had said. 

 

And I realized that yes, they _ would. _

 

Repliku had fallen back into tears, and was now shaking with fear. Now that the words, and their implications were out in the open, that fear was crashing down, suffocating him. I pulled him close and laid my head on his. “Shh... It’s okay. I would never let them do that to you.”

 

“If you were that sick, you might not get that choice.”

 

“I mean it, Repliku.” I pulled away just enough to look him in the eye, “No matter what happens, you are not a replica to be harvested. Understand? You’re not a shadow. Or an empty shell. You are your own person.”

 

“Am I?” 

 

I don’t know how I couldn’t have seen it before, but with the memories that were still trickling in bit by bit, I could now understand. 

 

Our parents were horrible people. 

 

And they were affecting both of us negatively. Making us our worst selves. 

 

Now that I understood that, I could probably resist it. I managed to pull myself out of the darkness once, I could do it again. 

 

But Repliku. 

 

He was so young, younger than I was when I first fell to darkness. 

 

Even in this world, where light and dark were not as... physical as they had been, I couldn’t let him face that alone. 

 

I had to get him out of here. 

 

But for now...

 

“You are...” I promised. “You have different interests than I do. You love swimming, and you’re the best on the team... You enjoy history much more than I do.”

 

He huffed and finally let out a small grin, “I’m better at video games than you. Sora said so...”

 

“Mmm...” I hummed in agreement.  “We’ll figure this out. But we’re not staying here in this house for much longer.”

 

“Really?” Repliku blinked up at me, his face full of weary trust. 

 

“Yeah. I promise. I’m not going to leave you alone with them ever again.”

 

“Hmm...” He shifted so he was laying down on my bed, “Can I stay here for the night?”

 

“Of course,” I patted the space next to me and he rolled into it. “I still have to finish this paper though. Alright?”

 

“Hmmm... kay...” Exhausted from that night’s events, he quickly fell asleep. I covered him up with one of the spare blankets and looked back at my homework. 

 

_ When was Radiant Garden established and why is it significant? _

 

I wonder if my teacher would accept ‘lifetimes ago after the first keyblade war’ as an answer. 

 

I felt another buzz at my feet and frowning, I picked my phone back up. 

 

_ C’mon Riku! Just a hint, pleeeeaaaase? _

 

_ Please? _

 

_ Please? _

 

_ Riku? _

 

_ C’mon don’t ignore me! _

 

_ Riku? _

 

_ Riku? _

 

?????

 

_ Did you fall asleep? Don’t leave me hanging! _

 

I grinned.  _ Sora _ ... 

 

An image flashed before my eyes. My boyfriend, spiky hair and all, holding what looked like a giant key. 

 

Another keyblade?

 

Was Sora.... involved in these new memories somehow? 

 

In my heart, I felt that was right, but for some reason, the memories wouldn’t come... like they were stuck. 

 

I glanced back at Repliku. Maybe my head knew that I could only handle one revelation at a time, and so focused on what was more important at that second. I knew I was still missing some memories, but I couldn’t force them to come. 

 

I shook my head. I could think about Sora’s roll in all this later. 

 

I unlocked my phone and erased the message I had been typing before Repliku came in. I answered his original question quickly and then followed it up with another message:

 

_ Sorry, some family drama came up. Would never leave you, promise. _

 

The answer came within seconds. 

 

_ Best boyfriend ever. Are you okay tho? Was it your mom again? Do you need to come over? _

 

I glanced down at Repliku who had curled up into a tight ball, protecting his chest. 

 

_ I’ll be okay _ , I typed back,  _ But can we meet up earlier tomorrow? I need to walk Repliku to school. _

 

_ Of course! _

 

I grinned and went back to my homework. Despite the memories, or maybe because of them, the writing came easier and I finished in under an hour. I saved the document before printing it out and placing it in my backpack. I went over to the light switch, hesitating for a second before turning out the lights. 

 

It was dark. Too dark. 

 

Panicking, I switched on the nightlight Sora had given me years ago, the dim glow providing some sort of shelter from the dark corners in the room. Then I maneuvered my way back to the bed and crawled in. Repliku grunted in his sleep and pulled his blanket tighter around himself. 

 

We’ll be okay. 

 

 

**\--2 Years Later, Radiant Garden--**

 

The house was still dark when I woke. Groaning, I rolled over and glanced at the clock. 2:37 AM. 

 

I let out another soft noise and rubbed my hand against my eyelids. Beside me, Sora shuffled closer in his sleep, his mouth open and drooling on the pillow. One of my arms was still trapped beneath his warm body, and I couldn’t feel much in my fingertips. 

 

I felt my lips curl up in a sleepy smile and I ran the fingers of my other hand through his soft hair, listening to his snores as he continued to sleep. 

 

But even the comforting ambient noises weren’t enough to lull me back to sleep and I huffed, trying to figure out what had awoken me in the first place. Closing my eyes I focused on the sounds coming from throughout the apartment. 

 

Faintly, I heard soft voices coming from out in the living room. I groaned again, this time out of annoyance rather than exhaustion. Those boys knew better. 

 

Ever since Sora caught Grey and Vanitas kissing in the apartment hallway, it had been a rule that Vanitas would sleep in the living room when he stayed over. It was a stupid rule, and I knew it was a stupid rule, and even Sora and I never followed that rule much either when I lived with my parents (though in my case it had been more implied that there would be no “girls” sleeping over rather than “significant others,” but the point was clear.) 

 

Huffing, I disentangled myself from Sora’s grasp, chuckling as his vocal protests were mollified when he rolled over into the warm spot I had left behind. I stumbled towards the door, creeping it open slowly. 

 

As I stepped out into the hallway, the voices continued to talk. There was just a single light source from the lamp on the end table. 

 

“Shh... shh... it’s okay.”

 

I paused, a little surprised by Vanitas’s tone. Neither in this life, nor the last, had I known Vanitas to be soft or gentle really, but right now, his voice was quiet and comforting. 

 

“I-I wasn’t r-real...” 

 

My heart sunk at my brother’s voice. 

 

“You’re real here. I promise. You are real...” Vanitas murmured, almost too quietly to hear. 

 

My brother mumbled something I didn’t quite catch and I tried to shift a little closer. I could see them sitting on the air mattress we had inflated earlier in the evening for Vanitas. Grey was curled so close to the other boy, he was practically on top of him his head buried in the darker haired boy’s chest. Vanitas didn’t seem to mind though, as he had his arms wrapped tight around Grey, his own head resting on silver hair. 

 

“Shh....” Vanitas continued to murmur softly. “It’ll be okay...It’s just a nightmare...”

 

“But it wasn’t!” Grey nearly shouted, though his voice was muffled by Vanitas’s shirt. Even the soft fabric couldn’t hide the tears in his voice though. It was a rare occurrence for my little brother to cry. “You don’t understand, it wasn’t a dream! It was like-”

 

“Memories?” Vanitas questioned, his eyes cracking open and looking down at Grey’s head.

 

Grey looked up at him before nodding once. 

 

Softly, I sighed to myself, hoping they wouldn’t hear me. 

 

So... Grey remembered then. Castle Oblivion and his origin as a replica. 

 

I had guessed at it, back when I first regained my memories, but I hoped I hadn’t been right. That it was all some strange coincidence. 

 

Now though, with the evidence before me, it was clear. My little brother was, indeed, the reincarnation of the replica meant to replace me. To use the darkness in a way I never would. 

 

Briefly, I remembered the last words the replica ever spoke in Castle Oblivion.  

 

_ What happens when a fake dies? One like me. Where will my heart go? Does it disappear? _

 

_ It’ll go somewhere. Maybe, to the same place as mine. _

 

_ Tch. A faithful replica, till the very end....that’s okay... _

 

I guess that’s what happened, in the end. I slowly sank to the floor, not wanting to confront this now. 

 

In the living room, Vanitas and Grey continued to talk softly, though now I could hear that Grey’s tears had lessened. I turned back to observe the two. 

 

“Hey...” Vanitas whispered, and he gently pulled one of Grey’s arms so he could grip the boy’s hand, placing it over the darker haired boy’s chest. “Whenever I start to feel like none of this is real, I just remember this.”

 

“Hm... your heart?”

 

“Yeah...” Vanitas grinned down at the boy in his lap, an expression I had so often seen on Sora, it was a bit eerie to see it on my once enemy. “I didn’t have one before... at least... not a complete one... so I never felt it beat this strongly. But now... whenever I’m happy, or sad... or even angry... I can feel it so strong, like it’s about to escape. It was an odd feeling at first, especially after I remembered. But now... it’s comforting. It let’s me know I’m my own person now, not just half of someone else.” Vanitas’s cheeks flushed, visible even in the dim lamp light. “It beats especially hard whenever I think of you...”

 

Grey huffed out a laugh and kissed Vanitas’s cheek. “Well... it’s beating really hard now.”

 

Vanitas huffed and unwound an arm to place it on Grey’s chest. “Yeah well, so is yours! You must be real then.”

 

Grey smiled and laid his head back down on Vanitas’s shoulder. “Must be.”

 

“You are!” 

 

“Yeah... I can feel it beating too... don’t really remember that from before. Even with the false memories... it was like an echo. But this...” He trailed off, Vanitas nodding in agreement. 

 

“Yeah... exactly,” Vanitas leaned in, kissing Grey once on the lips before pulling away a little more. “You think you can go back to sleep?”

 

“Hm... I think I’ll just stay here.” To prove his point, Grey slipped out of Vanitas’s grasp completely, lying on the air mattress and pulling the other boy down with him. 

 

“But.... Riku--”

 

“I’ll tell him to fuck off in the morning,” Grey whispered, pulling the darker haired boy close. 

 

Vanitas sighed, but grabbed the blankets to cover them and wrapped his arms around Grey. 

 

After a moment, their breathing grew heavy as they both fell back asleep, wrapped up tight in each other. I stood up from my spot in the hallway, my knees creaking from the movement, and stumbled back into the bedroom. 

 

Sora had managed to commandeer all of the blankets in the time I had been gone, so I curled up around his blanket cocoon instead. 

 

“Mmnph.... Riku? What’s wrong?” Sora mumbled, voice rough from sleep. 

 

“It’s nothing... go back to sleep...”

 

“You’re freezing...” he groaned as he turned over so he could cuddle into my arms. Somewhat reluctantly, he also gave up one of his blankets, allowing me to join him in his blanket burrito. 

 

I smiled and hugged him close to my chest. “I love you...”

 

“Mmm... love you too... not gonna let you steal more of my blankets though.”

 

“Wouldn’t dream of it...” I buried my nose in his hair, taking a deep breath of citrus shampoo and Sora’s natural musky smell. 

 

Slowly, his soft snores lulled me back to sleep. 

 

I woke to an empty bed in the morning, though the spot was still warm. I yawned, wincing as my jaw cracked loudly. Stretching, I got out of bed and padded to the door, then down the hallway, stepping into the living room where it appeared an argument was taking place. 

 

Sora had somehow managed to squeeze himself between Vanitas and Grey.

 

“No... you don’t understand! I must be here to preserve your virtue!” Sora laughed as Vanitas and Grey both tried to push him off the bed. 

 

“That’s the lamest argument I ever heard!” Grey shouted as he pushed. 

 

“Well...I’m not the one who crawled into my boyfriend’s air mattress when my brother specifically told me not too.” Sora pinched Grey’s cheek

 

“That’s not what you thought back when you were climbing the tree to sneak into Riku’s bedroom against Leon’s ‘orders’...” Grey fought back, pinching Sora in the ribs. 

 

Sora gasped and ducked, trying to guard that particularly ticklish spot. “Yeah well... now I’m the adult, so you have to do what I say!” 

 

“Again, ridiculous,” Vanitas stuck out his tongue. 

 

Sora merely giggled in return. 

 

Sighing loudly, I made my way into the kitchen. “Sora, leave the kids alone and help me make breakfast.”

 

“Ooh food!” Sora leapt out of bed, Grey and Vanitas both letting out startled yelps as my boyfriend stepped on them in his eagerness to raid the fridge. 

 

I was just getting out the pan when Sora let out a high pitched whine. “Riiikuu...”

 

“Yes?”

 

“You’re out of bacon! You can’t have a proper breakfast without bacon,” he pouted and I rolled my eyes. Once upon a time, I may have kissed him, but after being together for years, the pout grew easier to resist. 

 

“So? Go get some.”

 

“Okay!” He grinned and ran back into the living room. “Vanitas! Get some pants on! You’re going with me to the store to get bacon.” 

 

“What? Why--”

 

“No time! C’mon!” Sora ran down the hall, hopefully to put on his own trousers. 

 

Vanitas groaned, but began to put on his jeans anyway, shrugging his jacket on over his sleep shirt. “You want to come too?” he held his hand out to my brother.

 

Grey looked up at the offered hand but shook his head. “Nah...”

 

Vanitas shrugged and nodded, making his way towards his shoes. “C’mon! Hurry up if you’re so eager!”

 

“Coming!” Sora ran out into the hall and pushed Vanitas out the door. Just before he shut the door, he winked at me. 

 

I huffed and shook my head. He wasn’t nearly as dense as other people thought he was. 

 

I turned off the stove, finding no reason to cook the eggs long before Sora arrived back with the bacon. Then I turned to the couch where Grey still sat, arms wrapped around his abdomen like he was trying to hold himself together. Stepping cautiously over the air mattress we laid out for Vanitas, I took a seat on the couch. 

 

“You okay?”

 

Grey let out a small sigh and nodded. “Yeah, Sora’s just being-”

 

“I don’t mean Sora,” I cut in. “I... I heard you last night.”

 

Grey flinched and closed in on himself. “I... Riku....”

 

“It’s okay... I know...” Cautiously, I wrapped an arm around him. After a moment, Grey leaned into me. 

 

He seemed to have exhausted all his tears last night, and I felt a little bad for not going to comfort him then. But... I think at that moment, the one he needed comfort from most was from someone who wasn’t as connected to his... original demise. 

 

I struggled to find the words I wanted to say to him. Thanks to our “wonderful” parents, we were never allowed to develop a strong brotherly bond when we were younger, like the one shared between Sora and Roxas. It’s only been since we’ve been living together without the overbearing presence of our mother that we’ve been able to start to kindle a familial bond.

 

I hoped what we built would be enough for this. 

 

“I’m sorry...” Grey said, voice barely above a whisper. “For hurting you...”

 

I sighed and nodded. “It’s alright. It was a long time ago.”

 

“Yeah... but I meant more when I was younger...” Grey let out another sigh. “I didn’t realize the second chance I had.”

 

Again, I nodded, “I didn’t really know either. It’s funny though... that night when you ran upstairs and told me what you had overheard from our parents? That’s when I remembered.”

 

“Really?” Grey sat up a bit. 

 

“Yeah... it was something you said. About being stuck in my shadow... you said that exact thing at--”

 

“At the mansion,” Grey finished.

 

“That’s when the memories started trickling in. And then when I saw Sora again later that day, the rest all came back. It wasn’t... pleasant.” The memories of the brunet, and Kairi, had slammed into me so suddenly, I was stunned into silence, much to Sora's concern. I remember holding on to him tightly, praying that he never remembered what I did. He went through so much...

 

I remembered that part of me also hoped, a little selfishly, that Sora would never meet Kairi. Now that I had the memories of the him from before, I fell even more in love with my beautiful, kind, wonderful, strong boyfriend. But... he and Kairi... belonged together. 

 

I remembered thinking that I would make the best of whatever time I had left... 

 

Now though... Sora and Kairi met up for coffee nearly every week. I still couldn't find it in myself to face her though... facing her would mean facing that selfish part of me all over again...

 

“Well..." Grey murmured, startling me out of my thoughts, "I guess you’d have more memories than I do. I wasn’t even.... Alive... that long,” he let out another deep sigh. 

 

I turned to look at him better. “What do you remember?”

 

He shrugged. “Mostly what Namine put in my head, but knowing that it wasn’t real... Fighting you, fighting Sora. Kill...” He cut himself off and again looked sick. “Killing that one guy...Zexion?”

 

I squeezed his shoulder. “Yeah... if it makes you feel better Ienzo was a little grateful for it as it allowed him to become whole again.”

 

“Not really... I still...” He trailed off and I couldn’t help but feel relieved that he found the thought distasteful. 

 

“But... what about... after?”

 

Grey shrugged. “I... maybe? But it’s foggy... more warped than the memories Namine gave me.”

 

“Right...” I trailed off, though I could feel Grey’s stare on me, waiting for me to continue and I sighed. “Long story short, Master Xehanort--”

 

“Xehanort... Vani’s crazy grandfather?”

 

“Yeah... he had this plan to... well, I’m not sure what his expected outcome was, but part of his plan was making thirteen versions of himself using vessels. Including you... or your body rather. But I think part of you was still there.”

 

“Oh...” Grey trailed off, closing his eyes, evidently trying to remember. “Was... was Vani a vessel too?”

 

I hummed and nodded. “Yeah...”

 

Grey ducked his head, and leaned into me. “I’m... I’m glad you’re my brother this time around.”

 

I smiled and squeezed him closer. “Yeah... me too.”

 

We sat in silence until we could hear Sora and Vanitas stomping up the stairs, Vanitas’s voice carrying through the thin apartment walls. 

 

“We really don’t need this much bacon!”

 

“Aw... c’mon. You can never have too much bacon!”

 

“Ugh...” Vanitas groaned as he opened the door. “Whatever...” 

 

The raven haired boy quickly dropped off the bag of groceries on the counter and ran over to the couch to sit on Grey’s other side. I gave Grey one last hug before getting up to finish off breakfast. 

 

Sora grinned as I reached around him to turn the stove back on. “How was the store?” I asked as I started opening the package of bacon. 

 

“Eh... you know,” Sora shrugged, measuring out the flour for pancakes. “Had to keep Vanitas away from the free sample cookies. He’ll eat all of them if given a chance.”

 

“Uh huh...” I grinned and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. I reached around him again to get the eggs out of the fridge. 

 

As I opened the door, I couldn’t help but notice the package of bacon sitting right at front. I turned and offered Sora another smile which he eagerly returned. Looking over the the couch I saw Grey and Vanitas curled around each other and talking softly, Grey’s smile glowing in a way I never thought I’d see.

 

Sora leaned in and kissed my cheek gently. "He'll be okay..." the brunet murmured, "We all will." 

 

I nodded, turning so I could kiss his lips, lingering for a moment before pulling away. "I know... We all got a second chance..." 

 

As we both started to cook breakfast, falling into an easy rhythm perfected over the years of knowing each other and just being together my thought drifted. There was just one more thing that would complete the picture. 

 

 _Kairi_. 

 

I absently stirred the eggs in the pan, Sora flipping pancakes on the skillet beside me, I thought again of what I had just said. We all got a second chance. 

 

I should probably stop wasting it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya'll get one guess to who is coming next ;D
> 
> However, that chapter is going to have to wait. i'm afraid I'm going to have to take a bit of a hiatus for about a month in order to focus on a very important project for my job. I'll still be writing, and making the edits that have been suggested to fics I've already posted (thanks to all who let me know when I (or the formatting) f-up), but I won't be posting for about another month. Sorry! The good news is that major projects often mean that I write to de-stress, so there will likely be more fics after the hiatus. 
> 
> Subtitle is from Lion King 2's "Love Will Find A Way," one of my favorite Disney Sequels! (and Kovu reminds me so much of Riku.... I guess I always had a bit of a 'thing' for the teenage anti-hero :P)


	5. Kairi

_ ~One Alone Is Not Enough, You Need Both Together~ _

 

**\-- 4 months ago, Radiant Garden University --**

 

“Kairi?!”

 

I stopped, a shiver of recognition going up my spine, though I couldn’t recall if I had ever heard that voice before. 

 

“Kairi!” the voice called again, and I turned. 

 

A boy, average height, with spiky brown hair and bright blue eyes waved as he caught up with me. He wore red shorts, a white hoodie and the largest pair of yellow shoes I had ever seen outside of a carnival. 

 

“Kairi!” the boy grinned and again that spike of recognition went through me, though I couldn’t not place him.

 

“I’m sorry... do I know you?” I asked. 

 

His grin wavered a bit, but steadily remained in place. “Aww.... C’mon,  you don’t remember my name? Thanks a lot, Kairi!”

 

A jolt ran through me. I knew those words. 

 

He must have caught onto my spark of recognition. “Okay... I guess I can give you a hint. Starts with an ‘S’...” he trailed off, waiting for my reaction. 

 

In an instant, I saw another version of the boy, a little younger, slightly different clothes, and a giant key... keyblade... in hand. But the grin was the same, as was the hair. 

 

“Sora!” I shouted, wrapping my arms around him and nearly knocking us both to the ground. 

 

Sora laughed, wrapping his arms just as tight around me. “I missed you, Kairi! I’m so glad I found you!”

 

I pulled back, trying to discreetly wipe the tears from my eyes. _Be cool, Kairi. Be cool_. “Yeah well... I didn’t realize how much I missed you till about 5 seconds ago...” I trailed off, my head starting to hurt.

 

Now that the door had been opened, the memories began to flow back and slot into place. Growing up with Sora and another boy... white hair....

 

“Riku!” I called out. “Sora! Did you find--” He placed a hand on my shoulder, startling me out of my thoughts. 

 

“Yeah...” he trailed off, his face strangely red and he wouldn’t meet my eyes. “We grew up together... I guess that was just destiny...”

 

“Yeah... must be hard to outrun that...Maybe you two shared a paopu fruit when I wasn’t looking,” I was teasing, but was surprised when his blush only grew darker and his determination to avoid my gaze grew. 

 

“About that...” he trailed off. “Do you have a moment?”

 

I had a history class in about... five minutes ago... but this was way, way more important. “For you, always.”

 

We sat on the steps leading up to the History/English/Languages building, lounging together like we had in the old times. It was so weird to think of that now, having two sets of memories of growing up, one here in a Radiant Garden never taken by the darkness, indeed a Radiant Garden in much, much larger connected world. And the other set of memories, growing up on an island, watching the sunsets with my best friends. 

 

“So... the papou fruit... In the other life, I know we... that I liked...” he struggled with his words. Finally he took a deep breath, “I... I don’t like you like that anymore Kairi.... I’m not sure if I ever did. I just... didn’t want to get your hopes up or anything.” He refused to meet my gaze as I looked over at him.

 

“It’s Riku, right?”

 

His head jerked up. “Huh?”

 

“Who you’ve always liked... It’s Riku. That’s pretty obvious. At least... now it is.” Indeed, now that I thought of it, his blushing when I first mentioned Riku, but also...

 

I remembered when we first met again in the Nobody Castle. He had hugged me, clearly glad that I was okay, but he had broken down with relief when he realized he had “found” Riku. Even when we had shared our first, and only, kiss on the eve before the battle with Xehanort it had just been... okay. Safe, nice, but not the fireworks or magic I had heard about from the other princesses. 

 

“Sora....” I grinned and gave his shoulder a light shove. “C’mon... it’s okay. You’ll always be my best friend. I don’t think I like you like that anymore either... Besides, it’s nice to know you finally noticed how Riku always looked at you.”

 

“What?!” His eyes were wide with shock, and I suddenly realized that no... he never actually noticed. 

 

He was so dense.

 

“C’mon!” I shoved his shoulder again, harder. “You know... that silly doe eyed look he gave you whenever you laughed, or whenever you tried to beat him at sword fighting. Especially after we all returned home that first time, I thought he’d never let you out of his sight. And it was that same doe eyed look... but more...”

 

“He...no... He always did that with you!” 

 

I laughed as he stumbled through his words. “Maybe at one time... but trust me. For those last few years? He only had eyes for you.”

 

“I... He... Oh he is in so much trouble!”

 

My laughter grew. “So... I take it you guys are together now?”

 

He blushed again and rubbed the back of his head. “Yeah... for about... a year now... we’re sharing an apartment with his younger brother... well... we’re planning on it. I’m still helping Leon and Cloud settle into their new apartment, but then--”

 

“Wait, wait!” too much information! “Little brother? And what’s this about Leon and Cloud? You don’t mean that they...” I trailed off, rubbing my head. I was so confused.

 

This time, he laughed. “We have so much to catch up on.” He stood up and offered his hand, “I’ll fill you in over coffee?”

 

I grinned back and took his hand. “Sure, but only if I can return the favor.”

 

“Of course!” 

 

Together, we headed for the campus coffee shop.

 

**_\--3 months later, Radiant Garden University Coffee Shop--_ **

 

When I started studying archaeology, I never thought I’d end up here. The discovery of ancient cultures and what we can learn from the artifacts they left behind is absolutely fascinating on the best days.

 

Especially with memories of those ‘ancient’ cultures. 

 

But reading about the absolute mind numbing work of sorting and cataloging and numbering the pieces was agonizing, and I was not looking forward to that part of the practicum. 

 

“Hey... how’s the dinosaurs coming?” 

 

I looked up to find Sora’s smiling face grinning down at me, coffee in hand. In his other, he offered another cup and I eagerly took it, taking a deep sip. 

 

“That’s still paleontology, Sora,” I grinned. “Similar fieldwork, but the findings tend to be different.”

 

“Ehh... you’re still digging in dirt,” he let his backpack fall to the ground as he took a seat next to me. 

 

I stuck out my tongue. “What about you? Still undecided?”

 

Sora shrugged. “I guess... I just... I don’t know. I never seem to be very good at any one particular thing.”

 

“Well... that keyblade master thing seemed to work well for you.”

 

“Not that there’s any use for that here...” Sora trailed off and leaned back in his chair. “Riku thinks I should go into teaching.” 

 

“With your personality?” I asked incredulously, “I don’t think you’d ever have the heart to give homework... much less a detention if a kid really deserved it.”

 

“Yeah....” Sora sighed and laid his head on the table. 

 

I grinned and rubbed his head, my smile growing when he giggled and trying to bat my hand away. 

 

I was so happy that I had found my best friend again. 

 

And, looking at him now, I was glad that I realized that a best friend was all I ever really wanted from Sora. He was sweet and kind, and I knew we could make each other happy. 

 

But nowhere near as happy as Riku made him. That was evident every time he talked about our silver haired friend. Even when the brunet was upset because Riku again ducked out of his invitation to our coffee meetings. 

 

“Kairi?”

 

I blinked, startled out of my thoughts. “Huh?”

 

“Where did you go?” Sora waved his hand in front of my face. “You were like... a thousand miles away or something.”

 

I batted his hand away. “I was just... thinking.”

 

Ever since that first coffee, we had been meeting up every once in a while as our schedules would allow. We tried to catch each other up on a lifetime of memories, Sora filling me in on growing up with Leon and Cloud, and his little brother Roxas. I told him about Grandma and growing up properly in Radiant Garden. Though... now that my memories had returned, I found myself missing Destiny Islands. Sora promised we’d go there someday. 

 

Then, about a week ago, Sora couldn’t meet as usual due to “family troubles” as he had termed it but promised to fill me in today.

 

“So...” I began, “Is everything okay with you?”

 

Sora shrugged. “As okay as it can be, I guess. Vanitas is still settling in at Leon’s. He and Cloud get in fights over who gets the bathroom first in the morning. Leon tried to set up a time schedule, but they both ignore it... Roxas has compensated by just going to Lea’s house to shower.”

 

I huffed, “Sounds entertaining.” I had yet to meet Sora’s cousins in this world, and my memories of them in the last world were fuzzy at best. Ven I could remember a little better, his resemblance to Sora and Roxas so distinct. But his former dark half now brother was a different story. From Sora’s stories, Vanitas had changed significantly since his life in the past. I thought to how different Lea acted in our training, versus the Axel who had kidnapped me, and thought that the addition of a heart, and perhaps some friends, has made all the difference. “How are he and Grey doing?” 

 

Sora was finishing up his coffee and fishing out money for another one. “Pretty good I think. They had a fight a month or so ago. Grey locked himself in his room for hours until Riku threatened to take the door off its hinges.” Sora shrugged and got up to get his second coffee. “They got through it though... good thing too, in my opinion. With Grey remembering and all...Hang on, I need this second coffee...” he trailed off as he hurriedly put his coffee order in. 

 

I blinked. Grey remembered? Sora had explained that Riku had a little brother in this world, and a little bit of their background. Enough to know the reason behind the younger’s name. But... did Sora say if Grey had been a part of the last world?

 

I was still trying to remember when Sora sat down again. “Sorry... if I didn’t have a second cup I would have fallen asleep before I told you.” He hurriedly took a sip.

 

“So... Grey?” I prompted. 

 

“Yeah... I wasn’t sure how much you retained from Namine after you two... merged,” he trailed off.

 

I shrugged. Namine (and her sister Xion) and I were cousins, close, but not as close as Roxas and Sora. So our memories were now more distinct, and we never had the same type of bond Roxas and Sora shared. “Not much.”

 

“Ah. I don’t really remember much about it either. Riku had to explain it later, but when I was in Castle Oblivion, the Organization created a replica of Riku from my memories. Then Namine changed his memories so he thought he was the real Riku and we fought over Namine... I don’t know, it was some kind of plot, but I don’t really get it and Riku didn’t either. It just seems... petty and cruel now. Especially to the Replica.”

 

“Grey,” I said, now understanding.

 

Sora nodded. “Yeah... he... he didn’t live very long in Castle Oblivion. After Riku defeated him, he ran out of strength or something and faded away. By that point, he had been told that he was a copy.”

 

“How awful!” 

 

“Yeah... He remembered all that about a week or so ago. Vanitas is helping him work through it, as is Riku... but he’s been a bit quiet. Riku think’s he’ll bounce back though,” Sora leaned back and took another sip of coffee, glancing quickly at the door. 

 

I followed his gaze, but didn’t see anyone enter. “How is Riku?” Despite having coffee with Sora at least twice a month since we met up again, he had not been able to cajole Riku into joining us. Sora had tried to appease me by saying that Riku was working or studying, but I could tell when someone was avoiding me. 

 

I think I understood though. Shame and jealousy were not easy things to get over. I wouldn’t push it, though I would love to see my other best friend again. 

 

Sora sighed, “Fine, except he’s so busy from school that he barely has time to do anything but cuddle anymore. I think it’s been almost a month and a half since we’ve done anything more than handjobs.”

 

I nearly spat out my coffee and tried to hide it behind a laugh. “TMI Sora!”

 

He huffed and leaned back in his chair. “What?! I’m a young adult in college! I’m allowed to have needs!”

 

“Yeah but I don’t need to know about them!” I laughed though as his face grew red.

 

“I have to hear about how hot you find the guy in your history class. I think you can handle hearing how much I want to bang Riku!” 

 

“Maybe later, Sora.” 

 

I gasped, shooting out of my seat. My eyes met familiar aqua ones, his silver hair in desperate need of a haircut, and a small smirk on his lips. He sat his coffee on the table and placed his bag next to Sora’s. Then he opened up his arms, a question in his eyes. One I was more than willing to answer.

 

I grinned, jumping up to wrap my arms tightly around his neck. He was still so tall that he had to crouch slightly to hug me properly. “Riku!” 

 

His arms tightened around me. “I missed you, Kairi.” there was a moment of hesitation before his soft voice spoke again. “I’m sorry.” 

 

I squeezed back, “It’s okay. I understand.” I pulled away just enough to kiss his cheek affectionately. 

 

“Hey! No kissing my boyfriend!” Sora exclaimed, voice teasing. He leaned in as well, kissing Riku twice on the other cheek. “I get all the kisses.” 

 

Riku huffed, kissing the brunet and moving one of his arms to wrap around Sora as well. “Yes, dear.”

 

I laughed and pulled away, settling down in my seat and motioning for Riku to do the same. 

 

As soon as Riku and Sora settled into their seats, the brunet took his boyfriend’s hand, twining their fingers together softly. “I’m glad you made it.”

 

Riku smiled and kissed Sora lightly on the lips before turning to look at me. “I am, too.”

 

I smiled and raised my coffee cup. “To best friends!”

 

Sora and Riku raised their own cups. “To best friends!”

 

We spent so much time at the coffee shop that I’m pretty sure the baristas were glaring at us behind our backs, but we didn’t care. I was just happy to have both of my friends back. 

 

Sora was in the middle of a funny story, recounting the tale of how Leon and Cloud got together when the upbeat ringtone of his cell interrupted him. 

 

Sora blinked at the number for a moment before answering, “Hey, what’s up Vani--” 

 

_ “Put your stupid boyfriend on the phone...” _ an angry voice interrupted. 

 

Sora blinked then passed the phone to Riku who quickly glanced at his own phone, winced, then took Sora’s, “Hello?”

 

_ “Tried calling you a bunch of times.”  _

 

“Yeah... I saw,” Riku fiddled with his own phone for a moment, “I forgot to take my phone off silent...”

 

_ “Uh huh...” _

 

The next few words were too quiet to hear but from the look on Riku’s face, they weren’t good. 

 

“Alright, I’ll be there soon...” Riku ended the call and handed the phone back to Sora. “I have to go, you two finish up...” He began to pack his stuff up, only pausing when Sora grabbed his hand.

 

“Riku? What’s wrong? Is it Grey?” 

 

After a moment, Riku nodded, “Vanitas said that he and Grey ran into a woman on the way home from school today. From Van’s description, it was Larxene. Grey’s been having a bit of a panic attack...” He put his notebook in his backpack and threw his coffee cup away, “From what he’s told me, Larxene was the one who forced Namine to change his memories.”

 

“Oh...” Sora nodded in understanding. 

 

“Wasn’t she also one of the seekers of darkness?” I asked, brow furrowing, “I think I remember her. Lightning, right?”

 

“Yeah,” Riku said, hoisting his bag up. 

 

Sora quickly dumped everything in his own bag, “C’mon Kairi! We’ll grab something for dinner for everyone on our way home. Riku, you just go home and take care of your brother. Okay? Pizza sound good?”

 

After a moment, Riku sighed, his eyes fond in the way he looked at Sora and pulled the brunet over to kiss him lightly on the lips. “I don’t deserve you...”

 

“You do,” Sora whispered back, before pulling away, “And I’ll tell you every day if that’s what it takes.”

 

Another moment, then Riku nodded and quickly walked out the door, running down the street. 

 

“Is it okay if you walk with me to pick up dinner?” Sora asked as he helped me pack my own things. “I just... I think you and Riku need to get to know one another again. I know it’s not great timing, but I think that Grey and Vanitas would understand too and...”

 

“Sora...” I sighed and punched him lightly in the arm so he’d stop rambling. “We’ll play it by ear. We’ll go get dinner and if Grey’s not up to have a stranger around, I’ll grab a slice and head back to grandma’s, okay?”

 

“Yeah... okay, great!” Sora’s grin was so familiar to the old days, I felt my heart ache, but in a good way. 

 

Sora called over to the pizza place as we walked there so we wouldn’t be waiting forever. I just nodded whenever he asked what I wanted and said that whatever they usually got would be fine. 

 

After he hung up the phone, ordering 2 large meat lovers pizzas, he turned to me, “Sorry that Riku had to duck out--”

 

“No, it’s totally fine,” I reassured him, “He still has his family to think of.” I glanced over at him, “Though, I’m sure you’re pretty worried as well..”

 

“Yeah,” Sora nodded. “Especially with one as dangerous as Larxene. I don’t... really remember her except for her appearances in Arendelle, but Grey told us about his experiences in Castle Oblivion... and she was definitely a piece of work.”

 

“No kidding,” I agreed, “She was tough to take down at the keyblade graveyard.”

 

“Oh yeah,” Sora perked up and looked over, “I forgot that you were the one who took her down.”

 

I sighed, “Sure, forget your girlfriend who was fighting at your side for the majority of that battle...” I glanced over to the brunet, nearly bursting out in laughter at his face. It was a mixture of embarrassment, confusion, and bashfulness. “I’m only kidding. You had a lot going on and so did I. I never expected you to be on top of everything.”

 

“But if I had been--”

 

“Then you would have been that much more distracted taking Xehanort down.”

 

“Not that it worked...” Sora sighed, leaning against one of the brick buildings nearby. I stopped and looked up at him. His arms were crossed and his brow furrowed, indicating that he was thinking deep on something. 

 

“Sora...what’s wrong?”

 

“Why are we here, Kairi?” He asked, “I mean... We fought the seekers of Darkness... and I thought that we were winning... so... why does it feel like Xehanort won?” He scoffed and readjusted his arms, resting his head against them as he stared up at the dimming sky. “I mean... we more or less told him that he won, that night that he tried to take Vanitas and Ven back. Everyone, villain or hero, got to start over. Make new choices. But I don’t understand why...”

 

“Maybe...” I thought on it, “I think...if Kingdom Hearts was sentient, then this would be its way of... fixing it’s mistakes.” At his confused glance I leaned against the wall with him, crossing my own arms in thought. “Well... maybe not mistake exactly...miscalculation? It’s just... when Kingdom Hearts split all the worlds into separate realms closed off from each other, that meant that a lot of connections that may have been destined to happen, never would. If it wasn’t for Xehanort, you and I would have probably never met. I would have married some guy from Radiant Garden and never knew what the ocean sounded like...” I chuckled, “Though... I kind of wonder who that would have been. Ienzo, maybe?” I giggled harder at Sora’s expression. “Anyway... I think that it was actually your heart that convinced Kingdom Hearts to give us all a second chance.”

 

“Huh?”

 

I grinned and poked him in the chest, “Those connections you made with other people on all those other worlds. It proved to Kingdom Hearts that people from other worlds can interact with one another without getting jealous or greedy for the light.”

 

“So... I’m the reason...?” Sora didn’t look all that happy over it. 

 

“You both are. You and Xehanort. Darkness and light,” I nodded, the theory making sense, “Both need to exist.” I then thought of Sora’s words on the Xehanort in this world, “Though... I do wish Xehanort was slightly less dark in this world.”

 

“It does seem rather counter intuitive.”

 

“Wow! That’s a big phrase for you...”

 

“Shut up,” Sora grinned ruffling my hair and starting to walk in the direction of the pizza place again, “I learned it in writing class...” 

 

“Hmm...” I grinned, “So.... since you’ve had your memories back for a long while... have you ever had to deal with any other former opponents?”

 

“Oh yeah, loads...” He chuckled, “Ursula... the sea witch from Atlantica? She operated a seafood restaurant back at the islands. It got shut down though for serving alcohol to minors and several health code violations.”

 

My stomach turned at that and I gagged, “Oh... that’s disgusting...” I remembered that Ursula used to be part octopus and it seemed even more revolting. 

 

“Yeah.” He opened the door to the pizza place, letting me walk in first as we thought, “And Cloud saved his dog, Cerberus, from Hades. The guy had a dog fighting ring...”

 

A noise of distress escaped my mouth, “Is Cerberus okay?”

 

“Yeah... he’s a sweetheart and absolutely loves Vanitas and Grey,” he grinned and pulled up his phone, showing me a picture of a large wrinkly dog lying across the laps of whom I presumed to be Vanitas and Grey, though their faces were covered in shadow. I could make out the large grins across both their faces, while the dog was equally in absolute heaven. 

 

“Pizza for Sora?”

 

“Yeah!” Sora put his phone away and pulled out his wallet instead. “Thanks, Andy!”

 

“No problem!” Andy put the money in the cash register, passing off the pizzas to Sora’s waiting arms. As we left I heard him call out to his coworker, “Hey, Sid! Man the phones, I’m going on break!”

 

I offered to help carry something since Sora was burdened with the pizzas but he just shrugged and said he was used to it. He led me down a few more streets before we stopped at an apartment building. I did take the pizzas while he got the door open and carried them up three flights of stairs before stopping at door 313. 

 

Sora checked the doorknob, finding it unlocked, but he knocked anyway as he entered, “Hey, everything okay?”

 

“Yeah...” Riku’s voice called back and Sora held the door open so I could enter as well, “We’re just ready for dinner...” 

 

I shuffled into the apartment, taking off my shoes and setting my own backpack down next to where Riku and Sora left theirs. A bright red backpack with a green star charm was lying haphazardly nearby and I absently straightened it out so it leaned against the wall.

 

“So... you’re Kairi?”

 

I jumped at the voice and quickly turned around. 

 

Gold eyes stared at me beneath a fringe of black hair, as the boy leaned against the back of the couch. 

 

I couldn’t help but smile. His voice was a little deeper than Sora’s, and the slightly bored yet curious expression on his face was one I didn’t think I’d ever see on my friends, but other than that, they could have been twins. “Yeah... and you’re Vanitas, I presume?” 

 

He stared at me for a moment longer before finally holding out a hand, “Yeah... you don’t look anything like what I pictured.”

 

I laughed and took his hand, shaking it firmly like Grandma taught me, “Well... What did you picture me as?”

 

He huffed, “More... princess-y? Like Aqua’s friend Ella...”

 

“Ella...like Cinderella?” I tilted my head. I hadn’t seen any of the other princess of heart, but I guess they would have all gotten second chances as well. “Well... there’s nothing wrong with being a princess...”

 

“Yeah...” Vanitas shrugged, “I just wasn’t expecting...” He trailed off, shrugging again before turning back to sit on the couch. I frowned, but elected to ignore the strange attitude for now. 

 

Riku was on the other end of the couch, one arm around a boy who - Wow, if Vanitas could have passed Sora’s twin, this boy would have been Riku’s double at age 16. Which... okay, yep, replica makes sense now...

 

His hair was a little shorter than Riku’s was after he returned to his own body in the World that Never Was, but the face and turquoise colored eyes were the same. Vanitas had taken the boy’s hand and absently rubbed little circles in it. I noticed that two of his fingers strayed over the pulse point in the wrist every once in a while, absently checking on Grey’s heartbeat. 

 

“Hey Kairi!” Sora called from the kitchen, “Can you help me?”

 

“Yeah sure!” I called back, following his voice to the tiny apartment kitchen where he was getting plates down and dividing up the pizza.

 

“Take those two plates over to Riku and Grey?” he requested, pointing to the two plates he had already divided up. “I’ll get Van’s and your’s..”

 

“Oh, you don’t have to...”

 

“It’s okay!” He grinned, grabbing the two plates and a third that must have been for himself

 

I grabbed the other two and walked back over to where the two silver haired siblings were sitting quietly. “Here...”

 

“Thanks, Kairi,” Riku took his share. 

 

After a moment of hesitation, Grey sat up from his spot at Riku’s side and grabbed his own plate. “Thank you...” 

 

I offered a small grin and grabbed my own plate from Sora, taking the spot he offered in the armchair next to the couch while he sat on the floor at Riku’s feet. 

 

There was a moment or two of silence before that got to be too awkward and I spoke up, “So... Larxene, huh?”

 

Grey bristled at the name for a moment before relaxing again. “Yeah... though I heard her friend call her something else. But it was definitely her.” 

 

“Had a bit of an attitude...” Vanitas muttered around a bit of pizza, “Nearly pushed Grey into oncoming traffic just because he accidentally ran into her.” 

 

“Yeah...” Grey nodded, then glanced back at me, confusion on his face. “Why do you look like...” He trailed off, glancing at his brother in question. 

 

Riku sighed, “Yeah... Namine’s her... cousin, right?”

 

I nodded, “Yeah... I guess she used to visit the Islands.” I was a fool for never taking her up on her invitations to join her and my aunt... 

 

“Hmm...” Grey mumbled, chewing on a piece of pizza thoughtfully, “But why do you look like her?”

 

“Huh... oh well...” I shrugged, “I guess it’s because she was my nobody.”

 

“Oh...” 

 

Vanitas glanced over to Grey in concern, then sat down his plate of pizza before flopping over on Grey, nearly getting pizza sauce in his hair. 

 

Grey squawked in protest, but after only a second of trying to push the other boy away, just accepted his fate and let Vanitas collapse onto his lap. “What the hell?”

 

“We can talk to Namine about it at school,” Vanitas stated, reaching up and grabbing the dripping pizza slice in the silver haired boy’s hand, taking a large bite, “But for now... I’m hungry, you’re hungry. So let’s eat, kay?” 

 

Grey stuffed the rest of the pizza slice in Van’s mouth. “You’re a demanding brat...”

 

“Yep.” Vanitas agreed around the pizza slice in his mouth. 

 

I couldn’t help but giggle at the interaction, and both turned their eyes on me, apparently having forgotten that I was there. 

 

Vanitas recovered first, “So... Kairi... Riku must have gotten over his little hang up over meeting you again.”

 

“Shut it...” Riku admonished, though he also grinned and ruffled Van’s hair, so it must have been some sort of joke between them. “Does Leon know you stayed for dinner?”

 

“Yeah, yeah...” Vanitas waved him off, “I called him earlier. Just gotta be back by nine or so.”

 

I wasn’t sure if Van would make it it till nine. After Riku ruffled Van’s hair, Grey started running his hands through it again, and the darker haired boy’s eyes started to look heavy. Soon enough, Van began to let out some soft snores and Grey laughed a little. Riku and Sora both huffed, but largely ignored it, instead taking their plates, as well as mine, Grey’s and Van’s plates to the sink to clean up. Grey nodded his thanks towards his brother and continued to rub Van’s head. 

 

“He’s started taking naps more after dinner. Since he can do after school activities now, he’s joined every club there is to see if he likes any,” Grey offered me a small grin, shrugging a little. “But generally rubbing his head like this will knock him out faster than anything.” 

 

I laughed, “Believe it or not, Sora’s the same way. Might be something about that spiky hair.”

 

“Yeah... maybe.” He sent me a hard look, “They’re not the same you know? Vani’s not Sora. Or Ven. Or Roxas”

 

I blinked, frowning in confusion. “Of course not.” Why would someone think they were the same?

 

Grey stared at me for a moment, before nodding. “Good. Had to make sure.” 

 

I was still confused by the statement, even as I got ready to go as I still had homework. 

 

“Are you sure you don’t want one of us to walk you home?” Riku asked, handing me my backpack.

 

“Nah,” I grinned, slipping my backpack on. “You guys don’t live that far from Grandma. I can make it.”

 

“Hmm... kay,” Sora nodded, “Text when you get home.”

 

“Of course,” I kissed him on the cheek, then turned and kissed Riku’s cheek for good measure. “I’ve missed you both. I’m glad we’ll get to hang out with each other more.”

 

“Yeah!” Sora shouted, grinning while Riku nodded with a small smile of his own. 

 

“Oh... bye, Kairi!” 

 

Startled, I glanced back at the couch where Grey waved. There was a loud yawn, then another hand joined Grey’s wave. 

 

“Bye, Kairi.” Van’s voice was sleepy but coherent. 

 

I cracked a grin and waved back, “Bye guys! Hope to see you again!”

 

“You will,” Riku promised. 

 

With one last look at both of them, I left and closed the door. 

 

  1. I memorized the number. 



 

I had a feeling I’d be seeing it a lot more often from now on. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Subtitle is from "Lesson Number 1" from Mulan 2.... which is simultaneously one of my favorite and least favorite of the Disney sequels. I like the songs and the animation is good and like the last third. But the characters of Mulan, Shang, and Mushu were just so........ ugh... in the middle third that it's just... *sigh* But this one line just fit the underlying theme of this fic that I couldn't help but use it. :D
> 
> I always felt bad that I couldn't fit Kairi into the original fic. I kept trying but it wasn't working, so it was fun to write from her POV for this chapter.


	6. Namine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Namine's chapter! :D A little bit of recounting of events from the first fic, from a different POV, which is always fun, plus I get to add in a Disney character that would totally be Namine's best friend and omg I kinda hope we get to see that in KH3. please please please!

 

_ ~Start a new life on my own~ _

 

**\--Start of the School Year, Vulpes High School, Radiant Garden--**

 

I couldn’t help but flinch when I saw Repliku’s bruise when he walked into art class. It was an ugly purple color, and the angry look he wore as he put the ice pack up to it didn’t help my guilt much. 

 

It was my fault that the fight had even started. I should have just avoided the front yard altogether and gone to sit with Xion and Roxas...

 

I offered a small apologetic grin, which he returned with a strained smile. 

 

Strained because of the bruise? Or because of me?

 

He took a seat a few spots away from me and I let out a quiet sigh. 

 

It was because of me. 

 

“Hey, Namine!” 

 

I turned and it took me a moment to place the voice, “Rapunzel?” I hadn’t seen her since the end of last year. 

 

She laughed and pushed a few pieces of short brown hair out of her face, “Yeah... I guess it’s a bit different. A lot happened this summer...”

 

“More than a massive haircut and dye job?” I grinned moving my bag so she could take a seat next to me.

 

“Yeah... I found my birth parents,” she grinned. “They live in Corona. Across the country.” 

 

“Really? That’s great!” Rapunzel had been my friend since middle school and ever since she found her birth certificate at the start of last year, she had been searching for her birth parents. Especially since her foster mother was not the friendliest of people. She had left home as soon as she turned 18, and started on a journey to find them. 

 

“Yeah...” she sighed, “I’m...still too scared to actually go and say hi.” Rapunzel sighed and looked at the table. “I just... It’s scary.... They gave me up, so what if they don’t want to see me at all?”

 

“Even if they did,” I countered, “You won’t know till you try...”

 

“Yeah...” She chuckled, “Though... I did meet an interesting guy when I was traveling. He called himself Flynn but his real name is Eugene. He just finished college and was heading to Corona to do some sight seeing.” 

 

“Oh... ‘Punzel...” I groaned, knowing that look. Rapunzel had the worst luck with crushes on guys. She had a bit of a crush on Marluxia for a while till she realized what a bully he was. 

 

“I know, I know!” She grinned, “But this one’s different!” Her smile turned softer and she pushed her hair out of her eyes again. “He’s... sweet. A bit of a dork... but he’s the one who helped me cut my hair and dye it back to my natural color. I think... It’s helping me cut ties with Mother. You know? She’s the one who always died my hair and made me keep it long. Cutting it and bringing back to my original color... is just a first step in moving away from her.”

 

“I’m pretty sure the first step was moving out,” I teased, pulling out my sketchbook as the teacher walked in. 

 

“Well yeah... I meant emotionally...” Rapunzel sighed, “Eugene’s gonna go with me when I head back to Corona at the end of the semester. Maybe this time I’ll have the courage to actually say hi.”

 

“I’m sure you will...” I encouraged. 

 

I glanced back at where Repliku was pulling out his own sketchbook. 

 

If only I had the courage to fix my own problems. 

 

\---

 

“So... you know that guy I was talking about...Eugene?”

 

“You mean the one whose way to old for you?” I chuckled as I pulled out my books for my next class as well as my lunch.

 

“He’s only 24!” Rapunzel sighed and leaned against the locker next to mine. 

 

“.... And you’re still in highschool...” I laughed and slammed my locker closed, trying to contain the mess inside. 

 

“Well yeah.. But...” Rapunzel sighed, “It doesn’t feel like that, you know. It feels... natural...”

 

“If you say so...”

 

“Oh, but anyway...” Rapunzel waved her hand, getting back to the point. “He’s actually going to the graduate school at university here in town... and he has this friend...

 

“If this is you’re roundabout way to say you want to date him but need someone to go on a double date with you, the answer is gonna be no...” I had sworn off dating. At least until I was out of high school. My relationships so far... hadn’t been good. 

 

If only I was like Rapunzel and realized what a bully Marluxia was long before... well.

 

And then there was the whole Repliku/Riku thing...

 

And Roxas...

 

Maybe I should just swear off guys altogether.

 

“Hey...” Rapunzel frowned, “Where’s Roxas and Xion... they usually sit with us...”

 

“Different lunch periods...” I grumbled, already missing my little sister. 

 

“Oh.... Oh! There’s Repliku!” Rapunzel waved but I watched as Repliku took one look at us and instead sat down next to the sulky raven haired boy I had noticed in the hallway in between morning classes. The one who looked like Sora. 

 

“Huh... what was that about?” Rapunzel glanced down at me, “You two have a fight or something?”

 

“Or something...” I mumbled around a mouthful of sandwich. “It’s a long story.”

 

“Lunch lasts 20 minutes.” 

 

I cringed. Rapunzel would not let it go till I told her. 

 

Well... I did have to talk to somebody. Xion was unhelpful on the subject. 

 

“Okay, so you know how at the end of last year the seniors held a end of the year party at someone’s house?” 

 

“Yeah? I had to miss it to catch my flight...”

 

“Well... Xion, Roxas and Lea dragged me along... and Repliku was there too...” I shrugged, “There was partying and dancing and someone passed me this drink that tasted really good and fruity, but...” I trailed off, not really needing to say what else was  _ in _ the drink. I should have learned that good, fruity drinks that made me feel sleepy were rarely not alcoholic. 

 

“Oh, Namine...” Rapunzel smiled sympathetically. We had both tried some ill-gotten alcohol when she moved into her new apartment. While Rapunzel wasn’t partial to it, we found that I got drunk way to easily. 

 

And, unfortunately, it was the ‘lose your inhibitions but remember every embarrassing detail’ kind of drunk. 

 

“Yeah...” I sighed. “And Repliku had some too and we were kind of talking and then he leaned over and...” I lowered my voice for the next part, “Well... he kissed me.”

 

“No way!” Rapunzel squealed and I hurried to try to quiet her. 

 

“Yeah, yeah...” She had been adamant all of last year that the younger boy had a crush on me, but I refused to acknowledge it. 

 

Now I kind wished I had. 

 

“Yeah well...” I continued, “It wasn’t the greatest kiss... all things considered... but then...” I groaned and my forehead hit the table, luckily missing my food. “I may have called him Riku.”

 

“Namine!” Now Rapunzel really couldn’t keep her voice down and I noticed several students looking our way. Thankfully, Repliku wasn’t one of those students. 

 

I groaned, “I know.... He kind of left after that, but clearly he remembers it and clearly I remember it and clearly _ I am an idiot _ ... An idiot who breaks people’s hearts without meaning to by opening my big mouth.” 

 

Rapunzel thought, “Didn’t you have a crush on his brother? That’s Riku, right?”

 

“I did... but... I don’t like him like that anymore. And I never really liked Repliku like that, he was just a good friend...” I huffed and sat up a little, avoiding her gaze as I ate the rest of my sandwich. “So... it’s a mess... and... he’s been angry more than usual lately.” 

 

“Well... he doesn’t look angry now...” 

 

Frowning in confusion, I turned to look at what she was staring. Repliku was laughing as the raven-haired Sora look-alike ran his hand through his hair, messing it up even more than it had been. 

 

The silver haired boy’s face was flush with joy and he seemed to be the happiest that I had ever seen him.

 

“Namine?” Rapunzel asked, bringing me back to our conversation, “So... anything else exciting happen at that party?”

 

“Hmm...well... when Xion and I were ready to go we found Lea and Roxas making out in the broom closet.”

 

“What?!”

 

\--

 

School settled down after that. I met Rapunzel’s boyfriend one weekend (not as part of a double date, just as an outing with friends) and he seemed relatively normal. Lea and Roxas grilled him on all the details they could think of while Xion and I distracted Rapunzel with paint supplies, and they reported back that while Eugene was dorky (and possibly a reformed thief, according to Lea), it was clear that he really cared for Rapunzel. So I guess that was all that mattered. 

 

And after a quick and extremely embarrassing conversation with Repliku, during which there was a lot of awkward stammering and even more apologies from both sides, we decided to just forget about the disastrous kiss and move on as friends. The next day, Repliku moved his seat in art class so he sat at the work table with Rapunzel and I instead and eagerly joined me in teasing the other girl about her dorky boyfriend. 

 

Today though... today it was Repliku with the doey eyed look and shy smile on his face. 

 

“What’s with that smile?” I teased, poking Repliku in the cheek. “You look like a heart eyed emoji...” 

 

Instantly, his pale face flushed and the smile dropped. 

 

For a moment, I thought I had gone to far. 

 

But then... slowly the smile returned, though not quite as lovestruck as it was before. 

 

“It’s just... something Vanitas said before biology.”

 

“Uh huh...”

 

Biology for him was first period. That was over three hours ago. How was he still grinning over that?

 

And then there was that name again. Vanitas, the name of that sullen, moody boy who hung out with Repliku at lunchtime. My silver haired friend always brought him up in conversation: “Vanitas did this, Vanitas said that...” It was almost enough to be annoying. 

 

But then Repliku would smile softly whenever he mentioned the raven haired boy, and I couldn’t find it in myself to get irritated. If someone could make my friend look like that, then they couldn’t be a bad person. 

 

Or at least, not someone who would break his heart. 

 

Right?

 

We had just started the lesson for the day, watercolors, when one of the student hall monitors came in with a note he quickly passed to the teacher, who read it quickly then motioned at our table. 

 

“Repliku, it’s for you...It says to take your things with you to the main office.”

 

Repliku frowned in confusion and stood up, packing his sketchbooks and other things away, grabbing the note on his way out the door. 

 

It wasn’t until much later when a soft, shy voice said “Hey... Namine, right?” that I realized Repliku hadn’t ever returned from the office. 

 

I turned, finding myself staring at the boy who really could have been Sora’s twin if it wasn’t for his hair and eye color. And the boy in front of me was a few years younger. “Yes?”

 

“Sorry...” He held out a hand, “I’m Vanitas.”

 

Grinning, I took his hand and shook it, “Oh right! Repliku talks about you all the time...”

 

“Yeah well...” 

 

I watched in amusement as his face turned red. 

 

“Have you seen him?” the boy continued, “He didn’t come to lunch today...”

 

“Oh...” I hadn’t even noticed Repliku had never returned. What kind of friend does that make me? “Well... He was called to the main office early last period. I thought he’d be out by now though...” Was Repliku in some kind of trouble?

 

He didn’t get into another fight, did he?

 

“Right... Well, thanks,” Vanitas held his hand out in goodbye before walking down the hall, heading towards the main office. 

 

I frowned after him. 

 

What if Repliku really was in trouble? 

 

I hurried to pack up my own lunch and got up from the table. “Just gonna check something,” I told Rapunzel quickly then followed in the same direction Vanitas had gone. 

 

I heard shouting, though it was much too far away to make out. Then I saw the pale boy run down the hall, pausing for just a second to look at Vanitas before disappearing. A second later, Vanitas followed him. 

 

I hurried to catch up, but just as I was about to pass the doorway Repliku had run out of, a woman stepped out. 

 

A woman that I, unfortunately, knew all too well. 

 

I never had much occasion to speak with Repliku and Riku’s mother. Having only spent summers on the islands, Xion and I always met up with the two, as well as Sora and Roxas, either on the play island or at Sora’s house (and later Leon’s house). She always seemed to be working during the day and immediately called Riku and Repliku home whenever she returned. 

 

It appeared that she either didn’t recognize me, or she didn’t deem my presence as worthy of comment, for she merely scoffed at me and turned to leave, nose in the air, like some sort of queen in a fairy tale. 

 

Or a witch. 

 

_...a manipulative witch who shackles people’s hearts with phony memories!  _

 

I frowned. That didn’t seem right... but the words.. They echoed through me. 

 

A witch who can control memories. 

 

I flinched as a sharp pain went through my brain. Then another. I groaned clutching my head. Hurriedly, I felt my way towards the wall, eager to be against something sturdy. 

 

_ A little late to grow a conscious...  _

 

Distantly, I heard footsteps running down the hall, but I couldn’t really focus on that with all the voices echoing through me. 

 

_ Rejoice, Namine. The hero you’ve longed for is nearly here... _

 

Marluxia?

 

But... that didn’t... make any sense. 

 

I groaned, the voices and these new visions... memories? Swirling around me... I fell to the ground, vision darkening till everything, thankfully, went black. 

 

\---

 

“Namine?” 

 

I groaned and blinked, my vision filling up with a pair of blue eyes, similar to my own, framed by dark hair. 

 

Xion...

 

And instantly, I was awake. 

 

_ Xion! _

 

I blinked again, and tried to sit up but Xion pushed me back down. 

 

“Easy... the nurse said you should relax...” 

 

“Huh... nurse?” What was a nurse again?

 

“Rapunzel found you in the hallway by the main office....” Another voice explained, bringing me something in a cup that I quickly draink. The water was cool and very welcome and I felt my head clear a bit. I blinked up at another pair of blue eyes and blonde hair. 

 

Roxas...

 

I nearly asked how they could be there... but then the other memories... the memories from  _ this _ world... slammed back into me like a freight train and I was suddenly very grateful that Xion didn’t let me get up. 

 

“Yeah...” I mumbled, “Sorry...just... a headache I guess...”

 

“A headache that came on so suddenly that it knocked you out?” Roxas looked doubtful. 

 

“Was it stress?” Xion questioned. 

 

_ Well... _ I just nodded in agreement. 

 

Roxas still looked skeptical. “Rapunzel said you were chasing after some new guy... looking for Repliku...” his gaze hardened and I suddenly remembered that he and the silver haired brothers never really got along. 

 

I also suddenly realized why that might have been. 

 

“He didn’t do anything...” I rushed to reassure him. “Neither of them did. Really. It’s just a headache.”

 

He looked at me for a moment longer before finally nodding in agreement, “Alright...” 

 

“Now... I’m not sure if you should continue with the rest of your day,” the nurse said as she bustled in. “I’d rather call your mother to come pick you up...”

 

“I can do it!” Xion offered and pulled out her cell phone. 

 

Instantly, I stopped her, not really wanting to have to explain this to my mother. “No... call Kairi.”

 

Even if Kairi didn’t remember, I’d feel better if I could just see her...

 

“Kairi?” Xion looked confused. 

 

Which... made sense. It was only after these memories came back that I realized why Kairi was important, whereas before, our cousin was a sweet, if slightly distant, relation. 

 

Of course Xion would be confused as to why I’d want to call her. 

 

“I mean... her Grandmother can come pick me up,” I offered a grin, “No reason to bother mom at work. You know how she is...”

 

Xion huffed out a laugh. “Right...” 

 

Our mom wasn’t exactly a workaholic, but she was very busy, especially around this time of year. 

 

Luckily, Kairi’s grandmother was listed on both of our school forms as a person who could take Xion or I home, and after just a minute of trying to get a hold of her, I was sitting in the main office, Xion still by my side even as the nurse urged Roxas to head back to class. 

 

“Nam... are you sure you’re okay?”

 

“I’m fine Xi...” I looked down at my feet, which now suddenly looked so odd in sneakers instead of white sandals. I shook my head, which probably didn’t reassure Xion. “I just... Stress... you know?”

 

“Hmm... Yeah... I guess with all the college applications...” She stuck out her tongue. “I’m not looking forward to that.”

 

“You still got a year...” I grinned, “Besides, aren’t you just gonna go to Radiant Garden University with Lea and Roxas?”

 

Xion sighed, “Still gotta get in...” she huffed, “Besides... I’m not sure if it’ll even be the same in college. Lea and Roxas... maybe they’ll just get together and forget all about me.”

 

“Never,” I reassured her. Even when the memories of Xion faded from their memories, every action Lea and Roxas had taken from there on out was based, however distantly, on Xion’s final wishes. 

 

Unable to resist a moment longer, I wrapped my arms around my baby sister, someone I had grown up with. 

 

I couldn’t ever imagine telling her that she would have to disappear. 

 

“Namine... you’re crying...” Xion rubbed her hand down my back, offering comfort even in her confusion. 

 

“I know... I’m just...” I couldn’t even begin to explain it. I pulled away and sighed, pulling my sketchbook to my chest instead. 

 

The sketchbook...

 

With shaking hands, I began to flip through it. I drew all of these, thinking that they were just little scenes in my head. Little doodles and short comics with my friends. 

 

Xion, Lea and Roxas sitting on a clocktower, eating their favorite ice cream. But instead of the casual summer wear that usually wore, they were covered in these heavy black cloaks. Then another picture of Riku and Repliku fighting, something that used to be a common sight, but never with swords. Then several of Sora, Kairi and Riku in some strange places. 

 

I drew these, never realizing them for what they really were. 

 

I had a lot to think about.

 

\---

 

After a long weekend of thinking it over, I finally decided to just... roll with it. Act like that past didn’t matter.

 

Though, every time I looked at Repliku, I found it more and more difficult to stick with that decision. 

 

Now I felt even more guilty. I was pretty sure that his crush on me was probably based on residual feelings from the fake memories I had planted in him back at Castle Oblivion. I had no idea how they could have echoed this strongly into this new world. But as I looked around, I found that other things had echoed as well. 

 

Sora and Riku... a pairing that I hadn’t thought possible, but when I remembered Riku’s desperation to wake Sora, I wasn’t all that surprised. Especially when I remembered that while memories of Kairi had been important, Sora’s memories of Riku had been impossible to take away or change, they were so intertwined with his heart. 

 

Lea (Axel), Roxas and Xion... still best friends. And this time with no threat of them becoming separated. 

 

I wondered if the others.... They would be okay. 

 

But Repliku... and Vanitas...

 

I could now vaguely recognize him as a darkness that had once lived inside Sora’s heart within the other memories that weren’t Sora’s at all. I had tried to erase him, or lock him away, but he was intertwined so deeply with Ven that I couldn’t untangle that knotted chain of memories. Looking at him now, though, moodiness and all, I was glad that I wasn’t able to undo that knot. Vanitas was definitely his own person, no matter his origins. 

 

Just like Repliku, and Xion, and Roxas. 

 

And me. 

 

Now I walked just a few steps behind them as they headed for the last class of the day, Repliku ducking into his economics class with a cheeky grin.

 

Then Vanitas echoed that grin and...

 

“Oh...” I whispered. 

 

“Huh?” Rapunzel looked at me in concern, “What’s wrong?”

 

I shook my head, “Nothing... I have to go check on something... you go on, I’ll be there in a moment.”

 

Rapunzel tilted her head in confusion, but nodded and ran to the classroom. 

 

I walked up to Vanitas just as he let out a deep sigh. 

 

Oh dear... this was worse than I thought. I should warn him right? That’s what a good friend would do?

 

I remembered the first time Repliku’s heart shattered, caring for him as he lied on the pristine white floor of Castle Oblivion, practically lifeless. 

 

I never wanted to see that again. 

 

“That was quite a sigh...” I teased, laughing when he jumped and shouted my name. I fell into step as he walked to his own class. “Never thought I’d be able to sneak up on you. You must have been really distracted.” Even in this world, Vanitas always looked prepared for a fight. 

 

Now though, he blushed and turned away, and I giggled at the reaction. It was so strange to see someone who used to radiate darkness get embarrassed. 

 

“What’s with you?” He grumbled, still trying to hide his blush. 

 

I realized that he might think I was making fun of him, and I quickly tried to apologize, “It’s nothing... sorry...It’s just...” How could I even start to explain my concerns to him. “Repliku’s changed a lot since you got here.”

 

“What about it?”

 

“Nothing!” I didn’t mean it in a bad way. “It’s nice, to see the real him.”

 

Vanitas scoffed, “What does that mean? He’s always real!”

 

“Yeah... he is...” I sighed, slowing down. This wasn’t working at all. I had to be more direct. “It’s just... Repliku’s been through a lot. More than I think you know...” 

 

“I know about his parents, if that’s what you mean...”

 

“Yes... and no...” Not really. “It’s just... don’t go breaking his heart. Okay? Not like... not like how I did. His heart might shatter.”

 

The glare in his eyes scared me. For a moment, I thought I was staring back at the old Vanitas, the boy underneath the mask. 

 

“Listen. I don’t know what the heck went down between you two last semester, but I know he’s trying to fix it. To be friends with you.” 

 

I took a step back as his voice got louder. I never liked confrontation and he was a good few inches taller than me. 

 

“But I don’t know what kind of friend you think you are if you think his heart’s made of glass or something! It’s not gonna shatter, he’s stronger than that!”

 

The bell rang. As he breathed, calming down and regaining his composure, I thought on his words. 

 

_ It’s not gonna, shatter, he’s stronger than that.  _

 

And... Repliku really was, wasn’t he? Maybe that’s why it never would have worked between us. Even when I didn’t remember this past life, I always treated Repliku like he was something fragile, or as a breakable copy of his brother. Repliku needed someone who would treat him like he was already whole. Who would love him with 100% of their heart because that’s what Repliku always gave back. 

 

Vanitas... Vanitas would give him that. He would treat Repliku the way my friend should be treated. 

 

And maybe... maybe I wasn’t as fragile as I thought either. 

 

I couldn’t help it. I threw my arms around him, squeezing tight even as I felt him stiffen up in shock.

 

“Thank you, Vanitas.”

 

Just as quickly as I hugged him, I let go, offering a small grin and running into the classroom. Luckily, the teacher was still sorting through her papers for the day so I was able to slip into my seat without her noticing. 

 

“Everything alright?” Rapunzel asked. 

 

I nodded, then offered a grin. “Hey... is your boyfriend’s friend still up for that double date?”

 

**\--9 Months Later, Vulpes High School Graduation Ceremony, Radiant Garden--**

 

“Congratulations, Namine!” Rapunzel waved as she passed, hand in hand with Eugene while her parents - her birth parents- ushered her along, full of happy smiles. 

 

“Congrats!” I was thrilled for her. She deserved that happy ending. 

 

Just as Gothel deserved her place in jail as she awaited her trial. 

 

I grinned as I passed under a yellow and white “Congrats Vulpes High School Graduating Class!” banner, heading for the exit. Mom had already headed home to get ready for the party, so I was planning on walking home with my friends instead. I clutched my diploma a little tighter as I squeezed past a few of the blitzball players loitering in the hallway. “Excuse me...” I squeaked out, trying to get through. 

 

They sighed but eventually moved so I could continue walking to my intended destination. 

 

“C’mon guys!” 

 

I heard Roxas’s voice before I saw him, hovering near the tree we agreed to meet at. He was glaring at the two figures leaning against the tree, obviously entangled in an intimate embrace. 

 

Vanitas and Grey.

 

“Can’t you two go do that somewhere else?” Roxas grumbled. 

 

Vanitas broke away from Grey, who leaned back against the tree to try and regain his breath. The darker haired boy turned to Roxas, “Consider it payback for what I caught you and Lea doing on  _ my _ bed.”

 

I couldn’t see Roxas’s face but I could picture it, probably steadily turning the same shade as Lea’s hair. 

 

“Hey, now...” Lea drawled, swinging an arm around Vanitas and pulling him away from Grey who had regulated his breathing and was now trying to regain his composure instead. He wasn’t doing that great, his cheeks still flushed. 

 

“Roxas and I apologized for that...incident... and even switched mattresses. All’s well, right?”

 

“Hmph... I could still tell Leon...”

 

Even Lea looked a little sheepish at that suggestion and backed off. Grey reached out and took Vanitas’s hand, which seemed to mollify the other boy a bit and he backed down. 

 

I walked up, and Xion waved as soon as she spotted me. I waved back and the others turned to look as well. 

 

“Well...come on! I wanna get an ice cream to celebrate my last day,” I quickly took off my graduation ceremony robes, but kept the hat on. 

 

I worked hard for that hat. 

 

“It’s not like you’ll never eat ice cream again,” Roxas said, but he quickly took Lea’s hand anyway, leading the way. Xion and I followed closely behind. 

 

I heard Vanitas and Grey following us, but at a much slower pace. 

 

I hesitated in my walking, listening to them as they conversed softly, but audibly.

 

“Hey... I get that you’re angry,” Grey muttered. “But don’t use me for revenge like that...”

 

“But they--”

 

“I know...” Grey cut off Vanitas’s retort, “And it’s not like I minded the kiss, I just minded the context it was in. I don’t want to be used like that... it’s too much like...” 

 

Grey trailed off and I chanced a glance behind me. Vanitas had stopped, holding Grey’s hand to prevent the other boy from moving further. Neither boy paid me any attention.

 

“Right... I’m sorry...” Vanitas tugged lightly and Grey willingly went into the darker haired boy’s arms. “I’m sorry... that was dumb. I wasn’t thinking. I should have known it would remind you of that castle.”

 

I gasped.  _ Castle Oblivion? _

 

I swallowed around my suddenly dry throat. They had come to me early last spring, telling me that they had both remembered. We didn’t speak much about it then, both preferring to live in the here and now. 

 

But it appeared my actions, however unintentional they were, still haunted Grey... 

 

And I would always have to live with that. 

 

Grey shook his head, “I don’t expect you to know of everything that goes on in my head. Just like I don’t know what goes on in yours. But... if I say no...”

 

“I won’t,” Vanitas promised and wrapped his arms around Grey’s neck. 

 

Standing like that now, I realized that they had both grown over the past year, both physically and emotionally. Grey now stood a few inches taller than Vanitas, though the height difference wasn’t nearly as vast as it was with Sora and Riku. I wondered if one day it would be. 

 

Grey huffed and kissed Vanitas on the mouth briefly, “I know you won't.”  

 

I grinned, even as Grey finally noticed me. “What are you smiling about?”

 

“Nothing... everything...” I looked at the ground. 

 

Their footsteps grew closer, and soon their shoes came into my vision. 

 

“Namine, what’s wrong?”

 

“It’s just...” I sighed, “I kinda heard a bit about what you said... how do you not hate me?” I chanced a glance up at Grey, who appeared a little shocked at the suggestion. 

 

“Hate you? Why would I--” He shook his head, “Hey, Vani? Can you give us a moment?”

 

“Huh?” Vanitas looked confused for a second before nodding, “Yeah, sure.”

 

I watched as he squeezed Grey’s hand briefly, then ran ahead to join the others. 

 

“Hey, losers! You guys can’t just go rushing off to eat all the ice cream!”

 

“Not our fault you’re just slow...” Lea called back. 

 

Their laughter drifted down the street, growing fainter as they moved farther away. 

 

“I don’t hate you, Namine.” 

 

Grey’s voice was quiet, bringing me back to our conversation. 

 

“I... might have been a little angry... but I meant what I said. Fake or not, those memories were mine. I’ll stand by them,” He let out a little sigh, “I didn’t hate you back then and I don’t hate you now. I just... hate what they did to me. Larxene and the others. I knew that I was a replica, and I didn’t care. When they asked you to take that from me, it was like... they completely rewrote who I was.”

 

“I did completely rewrite who you were...” I felt hot tears come to my eyes. I had never thought of it like that before, not till Grey said it.

 

“Hey, don’t cry! C’mon...” He huffed out a nervous laugh. “Jeeze, the promise may have been fake, but I still want to stand by it. I didn’t want to make you cry...”

 

“You didn’t,” I sniffed, trying to hold back the tears, “I just.... I’m so sorry...”

 

“... I forgive you...” Gently, he drew me into a hug. 

 

I hiccupped and buried my face in his shoulder while he squeezed gently, just enough to offer support. Once I felt my tears start to subside, I pulled away a little, “I’m glad you got a second chance.”

 

He grinned, “Me too...” He glanced down the street where Vanitas and the others were talking at the stoplight, waiting for the crossing sign to turn green. “I’m glad we all got second chances.”

 

“Yeah...” I grinned, “We can all be friends now.”

 

“Yep.” He started to walk down the street, only hovering for a moment to see if I would follow. 

 

I didn’t hesitate and started walking with him. “You know... I better still hear from you even when I’m in college.”

 

He chuckled, “I’m not the one traveling halfway across the country. Why’d you pick the Corona Art Institute anyway? Radiant Garden has a good art school.”

 

“Yeah but...” I sighed, “I just... felt like I needed a change. Corona has a better school and they offered a better scholarship.”

 

“Probably helped that your best friend is the dean’s long lost daughter?”

 

“Shut up,” I whacked him lightly on the arm, “I got that scholarship all on my own.”

 

He offered me an apologetic grin, “I know.” 

 

“I’m more worried that you and Vanitas will just start kissing one day and forget all about your other friends...”

 

“Never...” Grey’s voice was factual, losing all teasing that had been in it a second ago. “We’ve both been alone for so long...”

 

“I understand.” I remembered what it was like in the big castle, before the organization took it over, and before Sora had come. I had done the worst, just so I would never have to feel that way again. 

 

“Hey!” Xion called out, “If you two lollygag any longer I’ll just have to eat your portions myself.”

 

“C’mon Xion,” Lea teased, “You wouldn’t even share some with your oldest friend?”

 

“Nah, Roxas wouldn’t be able handle that much ice cream.”

 

“I would too!” Roxas protested. 

 

Vanitas laughed, taking Grey’s hand as soon as we were close enough. I grinned as well, enjoying this moment. 

 

One last summer with my friends, before I headed out on my own. 

 

It might seem lonely, but I knew now what it meant to carry your friends in your heart. 

 

I wouldn’t forget ever again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Subtitle from "Where do I go from here?" from _Pocahontas II Journey to a New World_ which was always kinda on the "well, I don't _hate_ it" line on my scale of Disney Sequels and I always loved this one song in particular. It was resounding to late 90s me, and even more resounding to 2018 me. 
> 
> Rapunzel and Namine are so BFFs and nothing will change my opinion of this. And also, because I couldn't find a way to slip in it without it being awkward, Eugene's college friend who Rapunzel wanted Namine to go out with was Quasimodo. Namine and Quasi had a nice time on their date, but decided that neither was ready for any kind of commitment as Quasi was just getting over a major crush on someone else, and decided to just be good friends. 
> 
> So yeah, leave a comment on what you think! :D


	7. Terra

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! The last of the wayfinder trio! Terra's POV was a bit difficult to write, but there were a lot of moments that I wanted to write with him. Plus we get to find out a bit more about Ven's time when he had lost his memory. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

_~Near Enough, to Listen to your Heart Song~_

 

**\--Spring, Radiant Garden Hospital--**

 

“ _Terra_!”

 

The memories that came with that voice made me feel like I was falling into a chasm, and no matter what I couldn’t catch on to a ledge or a rope to stop myself from crashing to the ground.

 

Training with Master Eraqus. Learning how to wield my weapon. My keyblade.

 

Meeting Ven, talking about the adventures we’d go on once we were masters.

 

Aqua giving us our good luck charms.

 

The Mark of Mastery Exam.

 

Chasing the unversed through the worlds, all the way to the Keyblade Graveyard...

 

And then....

 

“Terra?” Ven’s voice was soft, “Are you okay?”

 

“Ven...” I groaned, trying to regain my sense of self. There was.... Just so many memories in my head right now... Ven was the only thing that made sense. “Is that... really you?”

 

“Of course it’s me!”

 

Aqua helped me over, exchanging a few words with Ven, holding off on his questions.

 

He seemed to be alright, happy as ever. But he didn’t seem to have any memories of a life in this world at all.

 

Which was strange. His clothes and backpack were just as normal in this world as anything else. Where would he have gotten them if Kingdom Hearts just... dumped him here.

 

I wondered if it was some sort of result from whatever had caused him to fall into a coma in the first place.

 

After a short while though, the medicine that the nurses gave Ven seemed to take effect and his eyes started to droop.

 

I grinned as I watched him struggle to keep his eyes open a moment longer. “It’s okay Ven, Aqua and I will be here when you wake up. Okay?”

 

“Mm.... promise?”

 

“Always,” Aqua promised.

 

As soon as he fell asleep, we called Dad.

 

_...Master Eraqus..._

 

This was weird.

 

I was seven years old when I entered the foster care system, Eraqus taking me in and permanently adopting me within a few years. I couldn’t remember my birth parents too well. Every memory I had of a parental figure was of Eraqus. Both in this life and in the last.

 

_And I..._

 

When Eraqus got to the hospital, he sensed something was wrong. Perhaps it was something in our expressions, or maybe it was a gut feeling, but he immediately pulled us both into a hug.

 

Aqua, for all her strength, burst into tears as soon as Eraqus had us in his arms.

 

I wasn’t that far behind.

 

“Now, now...” Eraqus shushed, “What has happened?” He pulled back slightly, just enough to see our tear stained faces. “Is it the boy? Has he--”

 

I shook my head, rubbing under my eyes with the back of my hand, “No... Ven’s fine...”

 

“Ventus?”

 

I nodded, but then glanced up sharply.

 

I never said Ven’s full name... so how?

 

Glancing over, I saw Aqua make the same connection.

 

“Master...Eraqus?” Aqua ventured, “Do... do you...” She trailed off, unsure of how to ask.

 

“Dad?” I looked at the man who raised me since I was seven, both in this world and the last, hoping that he would know what I was trying to ask without me voicing it.

 

Eraqus looked at us both and seemed to come to a conclusion. He let out a deep sigh, one that I was familiar with whenever he was exasperated. A slightly annoyed, but fond sigh.

 

“I had hoped that you two would have been spared this burden,” his voice was soft, but steady. “I understand the hardships both of you went through and hoped that you would go through this life free of those memories.”

 

I shook my head, “No... I’m glad I have mine.” I turned to face him, “Master, I--”

 

“Terra...” Eraqus shook his head fondly, “You have called me Dad until now. And I have always thought of you as my own son. Will a few extra memories change that now?”

 

I felt my cheeks reddened and I quickly hugged the man I called father, hiding my face in his comforting embrace. “Dad... I’m sorry... I’m so sorry... I--”

 

“Shh...” Dad ran a hand down my back, just like he did when I was 10 and scared that the agents at the foster system would take me away because I accidentally broke Dad’s window. “Shh... It’s okay....You’re here now. You’re safe...”

 

I tried to swallow around the knot in my throat and my breathing hitched with every breath. After a moment, I heard Aqua’s soft footfalls behind me as she laid her own hand on my shoulder in comfort.

 

The only way it could have been better was if Ven was there.

 

Right... Ven...

 

After a moment or two, I finally took a deep breath and pulled away. “Dad...We... we can talk about... all that later. Right now we gotta focus on Ven...”

 

“He doesn’t seem to have any memories of a life here,” Aqua explained, “Just... about the past.”

 

“Hmm...” Eraqus thought, “We must tell him the truth. It’s possible that interacting with this world might make him remember, though it will take a while.”

 

“Are... Are we sure that’s good thing?” I questioned, “I mean... someone nearly drove their car into the studio in an effort to drop him off with us. And he fell into a coma from his injuries shortly afterwards. Maybe Ven’s better off not remembering.”

 

Eraqus patted my shoulder, “I know your words come from a good place, just as my hopes that you two never remember your pasts were. However... it’s also equally possible that Ven has a family waiting for him to come home.”

 

I nodded, though I personally thought the words were a little silly.

 

Ven _was_ home. _We_ were his family.

 

But.... I did understand what Master Eraqus was trying to say.

 

In the end, we all told Ven the truth together, which he took surprisingly well, then we took him home to Eraqus’s apartment above his studio.

 

The months passed fairly quickly, Ven easily navigating this new world. I had a suspicion that he did have a life here, but...much like when Xehanort had dropped him off at the Land of Departure, he had no memory of anything before he was left with us.

 

Inwardly, I hoped that the culprit was not the same as last time.

 

By the time my birthday rolled around at the end of summer, Ven was more or less the same as he ever was, getting ready to attend University with Aqua and I at the start of the new school year. Dad taught him enough to pass a high school exit exam so he could join us, and Ven had picked up the schoolwork rather easily. Eraqus confided in me that he was sure Ven had some schooling before he arrived at our doorstep, and that knowledge was still there.

 

“Hey, no sneaking any freebies!” Aqua cried out, poking me in the ribs till I dropped the spoon she had been using to stir the cake batter.

 

“Aww, c’mon Aqua!” Ven pleaded, his own spoon already halfway to his mouth, “You already got it in the oven.”

 

“Yes and you shouldn’t be eating the raw batter. You might get sick,” Aqua hurriedly pulled the spoon away and ran the dirty dishes to the sink to soak. “And you definitely shouldn’t be following Terra’s example.”

 

I let out a sigh, “You’re so mean to me. Even on my birthday.”

 

Aqua stuck out her tongue before giving a grin. “If you’re good, I’ll let you lick the frosting container when I’m done with it.”

 

“Yay!” Ven cried out.

 

I couldn’t help but chuckle. Ever since Aqua’s birthday a while ago, Ven had been looking forward to another celebration as it was one of the few times we allowed ourselves to indulge in something sweet.

 

“Can you guys go to the store to pick up some fresh strawberries for the cake?” Aqua passed me some munny.

 

Ven nodded and ran to grab his shoes while I waited for him at the door to the apartment. We walked quickly downstairs, passing through the studio in order to get to the main street exit.

 

Dad was training a children’s beginner class, a segment of classes he was planning on having me take over once I had time in my university schedule. Ven waved eagerly at all the little kids practicing. One student, Lilo, took a quick break to run over.

 

“Ven!” She hurriedly pulled out her phone from her backpack, much to Master Eraqus’s visible exasperation. “You have to see my new dog...”

 

“Oh... I’d love to...” Ven had difficulty saying no to any of the kids in the younger classes and he knelt down to see Lilo’s phone better.

 

“See!” Lilo grinned, “The lady at the shelter said that she thought he’d been hit by a car, but he woke up okay! He’s still a little bad, but Nani and I are working on making him good.”

 

“Oh... that’s a noble goal,” Ven grinned as Lilo flipped through the pictures.

 

I managed to catch a glimpse as well, and I couldn’t help but let out a small smile. He wasn’t quite the same, his extra appendages and antennae were missing, and his coloring was a little grayer, but the face was the same and I almost chuckled at the thought of Dr. Jumbaa’s Experiment 626 being passed off as a dog.

 

Ven seemed to notice the similarities as well, as his eyes widened in recognition but he wisely kept his mouth shut, instead nodding and cooing at the appropriate pictures.

 

“Lilo,” Dad gently interrupted, “If we could please return to the lesson?”

 

“Oh...right...” Lilo shyly put the phone away and returned to her spot, “Sorry, master.” She bowed respectfully.

 

Ven chuckled and gave one last wave before they left through the front door, heading down the street towards the closest supermarket.

 

“So... Stitch, huh?” Ven chuckled. “Seems like a good match for him.”

 

“I hope he’s enjoying life with Lilo,” I agreed, “I remember when her sister first brought her to the studio. She rebelled against everything...” I let out a sigh, “But... then Eraqus and I managed to find out a little more. Her parents died in a car accident about a year ago, and her sister took her in. They moved here so Nani could get a better job.”

 

“That’s tough...” Ven murmured. Then he flinched and rubbed his head.

 

“You okay?”

 

Frowning, Ven nodded, still rubbing his head, “Yeah...just... thinking about Lilo and her parents. It... made me just...think of something else...”

 

“A car accident?” I asked. “Did you remember anything about that night you--”

 

“No, no... that’s still...foggy,” The feeling or memory seemed to pass and he stood up a little straighter. “I’m sure it’ll come to me.”

 

“I hope so.” I murmured. I didn’t want Ven to feel like he was missing out on something. And if Eraqus was right, Ven probably had a family here in this world. We had searched missing persons’ reports, but nobody had mentioned a blonde kid Ven’s age going missing in Radiant Garden or the surrounding towns.

 

“Yeah, I--” Another gasp of pain and this time he leaned against me. “Terra...”

 

“Ven!” I quickly pulled him to the side of a building, and grabbed onto his shoulders. I noticed that his breaths were coming in short bursts, like he was panicking. “Ven... breathe in, come on.” I pulled him closer to my chest so he could feel my own breathing and try to keep rhythm with it.

 

His arms wrapped around me, taking shaky, but deep breaths. I was startled to feel the tears start to soak through my shirt and I hurriedly sought to comfort him, rubbing my hands up and down his back, like I knew Aqua did whenever he cried back at the Land of Departure.

 

After a long, long moment, Ven’s sobs finally abated and he pulled away just a bit. Enough so that his face wasn’t buried in my shirt and he was able to wipe under his eyes with the back of his hand.

 

“I’m awful, Terra.”

 

I was shocked silent by the words for a moment. How could _Ven_ ever be awful? “No you’re not! Everyone cries sometimes, it’s not a big deal--”

 

But Ven was already shaking his head and moving further away so my hands fell from his shoulders.

 

“I just... I just left him there! And it’s been so long! Who knows what’s been done to him or--”

 

I cut him off before he could work himself back into a panic again, “Left who where?” I put my hands out on his shoulders again and this time he didn’t try to pull away. “Ven...”

 

“I... I remember...” He rubbed under his eyes again, “My life here... in this world...” He shook his head.

 

“That’s...” I wanted to say that was great, but, considering the way he was reacting, I didn’t think it was so wonderful for him.

 

“I had parents... Dad died in a car accident like Lilo’s parents. Mom died in the hospital... giving birth to my little brother...”

 

I felt a sudden wave of dread settle around my shoulders, slowly sinking down my spine until it made my stomach clench in worry.

 

“Terra... It’s Vanitas...”

 

“Did he hurt you?” I demanded, “Was he the one who--”

 

“What?” Ven looked genuinely confused at my accusations, and I became confused at his confusion. Vanitas wasn’t a nice guy, and definitely had it out for Ven.. so why...

 

“No, no! Of course not!” Ven pushed my hands away again and leaned against the brick building behind us, crossing his arms. “He’s just... well... I guess he would almost be sixteen by now. But he was only twelve when I left...” He shuddered again, “I left him with a monster... what kind of person does that Terra?”

 

I rather thought Vanitas was the monster, but I kept quiet, instead taking my place on the wall next to him. It was hard to imagine the masked boy as a twelve-year-old, especially since I had never really seen his face.

 

_I left him with a monster..._

 

That feeling of dread hadn’t gone away, only grew stronger as I began to piece together what Ven wasn’t telling me.

 

“Ven... who are you talking about?” I asked tightly, hoping what I was thinking wasn’t true, “Who’s the monster?”

 

“Our Grandfather,” Ven looked me in the eye, “Xehanort.”  

 

The name sent a shiver of fear through me. The nightmares I had every once in a while, feeling like a passenger in my own body as I watched my own hands striking down Aqua, Ven and our other friends. I screamed out to stop it, but all I could hear was Xehanort’s laughter telling me it was futile.

 

Why... why on earth would Kingdom Hearts allow him to live?

 

“I don’t know...” Ven answered a question I just now realized I must have spoken aloud. “But... I dunno, I guess he must not have been all bad once. I remember our Mom being pretty great...” He gave a little grin, “And Vanitas... Terra, he’s not the same guy he was back then, I promise. I mean... I haven’t seen him since he was twelve but.... He’s stubborn, but thoughtful. He would share his granola bars with me and stay up whenever Gran... I mean Master Xehanort wanted a word with me...”

 

Tears began to fill his eyes again, “I’m a horrible brother. I got scared. Xehanort... I think he remembered, or was close to remembering. He said something about the [chi]-blade and I was worried that he’d try to set me and Vanitas against each other. He... implied that Vanitas would get hurt worse if I stayed. So I left to protect him...” the tears spilled over and Ven didn’t try to stop them. “I should have took him with me... what was I thinking?”

 

I pulled him close again and tried to calm him. “You weren’t that much older, I’m sure. You were just... trying your best. We all make mistakes...” I pulled away and ruffled his hair, “I would know better than anyone, right?”

 

After a long moment of hesitation, Ven nodded. I tried to offer a grin.

 

“Then...we’ll just have to kidnap him,” I declared, plan already forming, “C’mon, Xehanort’s gotta be like, what... 70 now? And he doesn’t have his keyblade. So he should be easy to take on. We’ll just go back to where you used to live, and kidnap Vanitas. Xehanort wouldn’t know what hit him till it was too late.”

 

Despite his effort not to, Ven did laugh a little. “He’s stronger than you give him credit for.” Ven muttered, a small grin gracing his features, “But... I do want to go back. That night the car hit me, I had just sent Vanitas a postcard. Saying that I’d see him soon. I would like to fulfill that promise. I made a mistake in leaving him, and I’d like the chance to make up for it.”

 

“Then we will...” I promised. “You, me, and Aqua. We’ll help you fix that mistake.” Cause you both helped me fix mine, I added quietly to myself.

 

There were still tear tracks down Ven’s face, and his eyes were red and blotchy, but he gave a determined grin and nodded in agreement.

 

“Alright!”

 

**\--10 Months Later, Apartment above Master Eraqus's Martial Arts Studio--**

 

“Seriously?!” Aqua cried out, snatching the spoon from Vanitas before he could take a bite. “I swear, you two are gonna get banned from the kitchen.”

 

Ven meekly handed his own spoon over and Vanitas stuck out his tongue.

 

“Terra did it first...”

 

I quickly tried to hide the evidence behind my back, but it was too late as Aqua glared at me and held out her hand. I passed my spoon over, “It was just a small taste...”

 

Aqua sighed and put all three spoons and the mixing bowl into the sink to soak. “You shouldn’t do things just cause Terra does them, Vanitas.” She lectured, washing the dishes as she did so. “Terra’s gonna make himself sick one day and I’m not gonna feel the tiniest bit sorry for him.”

 

“She’s right,” Ven agreed, “Terra is a terrible role model.”

 

“Hey!” I cried out, grabbing him with one arm and ruffling his hair with the other hand. Ven laughed and tried to get away. Grinning, I pulled him closer so his back was flush against my chest,and buried my face in his blonde hair, reveling in his laughter. “Not fair. I’m a good role model.”

 

Ven chuckled and laid his hands over mine, “Yeah, most of the time.”

 

I heard a huff from beside us and turning, I just caught the end of Vanitas rolling his eyes. He turned and stared longingly at the cake baking in the oven. “How much longer?”

 

Aqua huffed out a small laugh, drying her hands and ruffling raven hair. “About another half hour or so. Why don’t you run to the store to get the ice cream to have with it?”

 

“Okay!” Vanitas hurried to pull his shoes on, grabbing his wallet and apartment keys before heading out the door.

 

“It’s good that he feels comfortable here,” Ven said, picking up a towel to dry the dishes Aqua had just washed. “He’s... getting better, I think. Less paranoid.”

 

“Yeah...” I nodded.

 

The younger boy was.... Definitely not what I had pictured when Ven first said that Vanitas was his brother. Grant it, I had never actually seen the boy’s face, so I was mostly picturing him still in the mask. Him being a near exact copy of Sora save for hair and eye color was a bit of a shock. But the attitude was different as well. The Masked Boy had been arrogant and cruel, a tool for Xehanort to use.

 

Vanitas, though stubborn and occasionally rude, wasn’t the Masked Boy. For a few weeks after he had left Xehanort’s care for good, he was on a bit of a short fuse. If it went off, he would either go silent or shout in anger. He and Aqua butted heads the most: Vanitas because he was ashamed of how he acted in the past, and Aqua because she was ashamed of how she acted in the present.

 

That had changed at some point early on in the Spring semester. Aqua never said exactly what happened, only that boys were stupid and cheated at video games.

 

I wisely did not question her. 

 

“Hey,” I said, helping Ven put the dishes away. “Happy Birthday.” Aqua took a break from cooking, instead making sure that the apartment was in good shape for visitors. Dad’s apartment wasn’t large, but it was the biggest out of everyone else’s, so we were having Ven’s party here. “It’s weird that we missed your birthday last year...”

 

Ven huffed and kissed my cheek. “We had a lot going on, but I also didn’t remember when my birthday was.”

 

“... yeah...” I put away the last plate. “Did you think you’d end up here? When you left that house?”

 

“Hmm?” Ven crossed his arms in thought, leaning against the back of the counter, “Well... no... not really. I lucked out.” He grinned, eyes crinkling in delight.

 

I couldn’t resist and kissed him gently on the forehead, then another chaste kiss on his lips.

 

As we pulled away, I remembered a different kiss. Our first, shared shortly after Ven had remembered his life with Vanitas and Xehanort.

 

A little over a month after my birthday, after we could schedule time and rent a car, we had traveled back to Daybreak Town. It was just Ven and I, mostly to do recon and see if we could even establish contact with Vanitas without the old man knowing.

 

It was a complete wash out.

 

_The house had stood empty, the front door wasn’t even locked as it gave way easily so Ven could see the inside. Any furniture was long gone and the place was so dusty Ven sneezed three times just walking to what must have been the living room area._

 

_Ven was devastated, and insisted that we check with the few neighbors there were to see if Xehanort had died and Vanitas was living with them._

 

_No luck there either, and after an angry old man by the name of Amos Slade practically chased us off his porch, his dogs barking at our heels, Ven had been left more morose than ever._

 

_We were passing this crumbling old cemetery when Ven’s eyes suddenly lit up and demanded I pull the car over. I hurried to do so, barely keeping up with him as he leaped out and hopped over the low brick wall._

 

_I managed to step over the wall and followed him at a more relaxed pace, enjoying the cool autumn breeze._

 

_He darted between the headstones, mainly sticking to the pathways, but after a moment, he wandered his way back to me, head still hanging low._

 

_“I thought...” he said then shook his head, “Never mind, it was a long shot.”_

 

_“What is this place?” I wondered._

 

_“Oh.... well...” Ven looked around, “When I was younger, it was the place Van and I came to walk around. The only place we ever felt truly at peace. It’s sort of ironic though...”_

 

_“Why?”_

 

_“Cause... I think this is all that’s left of the Keyblade Graveyard.”_

 

_“What?!” I jumped, glancing around to see if I recognized anything._

 

_I really didn’t, but now that Ven mentioned it, the illegible gravestones sticking out of the ground were eerily reminiscent of the keyblades that had done so in the graveyard._

 

_“Yeah...” Ven sighed, “That reminds me of something else... but I can show you later. It kinda concerns Aqua too...”_

 

_“Oh...” I laid an arm around his shoulders and he came in willingly, reaching up to wrap his arms around my neck._

 

_He felt solid in my arms, and it wasn’t until that moment that I had been thinking Ven to be like the wind he was named after. Transient and always just out of reach. But now in my arms, I could feel his heartbeat and it just... reminded me that he was here. We had all found each other again._

 

_“I almost lost you here,” Ven murmured into my chest, before raising his head so he could look at me directly, “On this battlefield... I thought I had lost you twice.”_

 

_“It was a long time ago,” I reassured him._

 

_“I know... but... I don’t want to lose you here again,” he took a step back, not quite out of reach, but just enough so he could take my hand. “Terra... I...”_

 

_His cheeks reddened, almost matching the dazzling sunset behind him. I chuckled and leaned in, raising my own hand to cup his face, “Yeah?”_

 

_“I...” he pouted, apparently frustrated that he couldn’t get the words out._

 

_Then, quite suddenly, I felt his lips on mine, I blinked, startled at the feeling and the swiftness of the action, before I melted into the kiss, the hand that was cupping his face moved so I cupped the back of his head instead._

 

_After a long, long moment, we reluctantly parted._

 

_“I... yeah... I like you... a lot .... like that.” Ven furrowed his brow, and it was cute how he stumbled over his words. “I’m not sure if I always liked you like that, but I definitely like you like that now.”_

 

_I chuckled and leaned in, kissing him on the cheek, “I like you like that now, too...”_

 

_“Oh...” Ven suddenly grin, radiating against the darkening sky, “Great!”_

 

“Terra?”

 

I blinked out of my thoughts, realizing that I was still holding onto Ven, my face again buried in his hair. “Huh?”

 

“You’re squeezing me a bit too tight.”

 

“Oh... sorry,” I loosened my grip and he turned around in my arms.

 

We stood together like that for a moment longer, just being comfortable in each other’s arms. I could have held him forever if needed.

 

But then the front door opened, and after a minute, Grey ran in, silver hair partially pulled away from his face. He glanced at us for only a moment before putting a whole grocery bag in the freezer. I presumed it held ice cream.

 

“Sora and Riku are on their way.”

 

“Where’s Van?” Ven asked.

 

Grey sighed, and let the freezer door slide closed. “He’s.... outside the studio. I met up with him at the grocery store, but something made him nervous on the way home. Told me to go put the ice cream away.”

 

“Was it Xehanort?” I asked, already putting my own shoes on just in case.

 

Grey shrugged, “Dunno. I didn’t see anything.” He held the door open so both Ven and I could follow him back down stairs.

  
I grabbed my own set of apartment keys just in case, Earthshaker's key chain hanging on them. Ven had mentioned finding both Earthshaker and Rainfell in the old daybreak town cemetery, and returned them to me and Aqua shortly after our trip to the small town. I found myself often carrying the key chain with me, even when I didn't need my apartment keys. I knew Aqua did the same. 

 

There were some days I wished that I could summon the real Earthshaker. But... I supposed there was no reason for it now. 

 

When we got back down stairs, we could see Vanitas through the studio window He stood next to the bench outside, arms crossed and peering down the street as if waiting for something.

 

“What’s up?”

 

Vanitas glanced over at Ven, then shrugged and let out a sigh. “I don’t know. Just a chill I can’t seem to shake.”

 

Grey walked up and wrapped his arms around him, which Vanitas minutely leaned into. “He’s not here,” the silver haired boy whispered quietly. After a moment of hesitation, Vanitas nodded in agreement.

 

“Yeah... Let’s go see if that cake is done. Maybe Aqua will let us have a slice before Sora, Riku and Kairi get here.” Vanitas offered a grin with his words, but even I could still sense the unease underneath it.

 

Grey frowned at his boyfriend but eventually nodded, turning to head back inside.

 

I held the door open as Ven followed him.

 

“Wait,” Vanitas muttered, turning to look back out on the street.

 

Frowning, I let the door slide shut, trying to see what he saw.

 

After a moment, a dark colored car sped down the street, definitely going over the speed limit. It was too fast for me to really look at the driver or the license plate properly, but given Van’s expression and the sudden chill that went down my own spine, I didn’t have to guess to know who it was.

 

“He can’t hurt us anymore.” Van whispered, mostly to himself but I nodded in agreement anyway.

 

He can provoke and tease and try to manipulate us into a fight, but we weren’t taking the bait anymore. We were happy, and he didn’t have any power over us anymore.

 

We could all be our own people.

 

Together, we watched as the car sped down the road and out of sight before Van turned, giving me a small nod and opened the door to the apartment, taking the steps two at a time.

 

After a moment, I followed him, making sure to lock the door behind me.

 

Just in case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Subtitle is from the song "Family" from _Lady and the Tramp 2: Scamp's Adventure_ which was an... interesting sequel. I loved the themes and most of the music found in it, even though it was basically Little Mermaid 2's plotline but with dogs. But some of the voice acting was... an odd choice. 
> 
> I think my favorite part about writing these epilogues (and writing the series in general) is 'sneaking' in as many Disney characters as I can, even ones from "obscure" animated movies. (The Lilo and Stitch reference is more than obvious, but can anyone else name the other movie that get's referenced? ;D)
> 
> Leave a comment below! I love hearing back from readers! Next up will be Roxas!


	8. Roxas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Roxas's Chapter! Definitely a fun one to write even though I literally rewrote it three times. I think it turned out okay? 
> 
> I should note that Roxas's chapter takes place entirely after the events of the first fic.

_ ~I Would Follow Any Star~  
_

 

**\--- Day after Christmas, Radiant Garden ---**

 

“C’mon, c’mon!” I muttered at the tiny screen, maneuvering the buttons, draining the boss’s HP. 

 

Almost there!

 

“Roxas!”

 

Startled I glanced up, missing the devastating blow from the boss character and when I next looked down at the screen, I saw the “retry?” text and cursed under my breath. 

 

“Dammit, Sora! I was on the final boss!” 

 

“Really? You just got the game for Christmas yesterday...” Sora huffed and sat next to me on the bed. 

 

“It’s addicting!” I defended. “I had to stay up all night!”

 

“He really did, you know,” a voice across from us said dryly, “It was almost distracting...”

 

I glared at the new darker haired twin of my brother, lounging on the second bed that used to be Sora’s, “Shut up, like you were any better, setting up that new cell phone!”

 

“Hmmm,” Vanitas shrugged, his hands deep in Cerberus’s fur. He spoiled that dog with way too many pets. “I said almost.” 

 

Sora sighed, “C’mon guys, don’t fight.”

 

“We’re not fighting.”

 

I noticed an echo and realized that Vanitas and I must have protested at the same time. 

 

This was going to be a  _ long _ year and a half. At least Lea said I could stay with him after I graduated. 

 

“What’d you want anyway?” I grumbled, clicking on the continue button instead of the retry. I’d beat the boss later. 

 

Sora blinked for a bit, then grinned, “Oh yeah. Riku and Grey are here and we were all gonna go out and get ice cream after Ven and the others get here.” 

 

Vanitas rolled out of bed as soon as Sora mentioned Grey and I rolled my eyes as he hurriedly ran down the hall, Cerberus hot on his heels. There was a shout from the kitchen then a heavy  _ thunk _ as Cerberus must have gotten excited and knocked them both over. 

 

I used to think that Sora and Riku were ridiculous, but Van and Grey were even more so. 

 

Sora let out a huff of air and I turned my glare onto him, even as I changed my shirt. I wasn’t going to say no to ice cream. “What?”

 

“You know... it’s nice that they’re together,” Sora said, letting out a small smile, “You’ll get it... some day.”

 

“I am not going to be that ridiculous,” I huffed. I couldn’t see myself being that eager to see someone,  _ ever _ . 

 

“Hmm...” Sora did that secret smile thing that has irritated me my whole life. “So... you want to invite Lea and Isa or...”

 

“I’ll call them...” I said, already picking up my phone and pulling up Lea’s contact info. 

 

Sora did that knowing look that was also annoying and left. 

 

I grumbled under my breath. He’s been like that ever since we moved in to this house. The first thing he insisted on after helping Leon and I move boxes was to introduce me to our new neighbors. 

 

Isa was okay. Quiet and reserved, but a decent neighbor. Someone I’d wave hello to when I left for school. 

 

Lea though. Lea was a whole other story. 

 

Despite the age difference, we became best friends quickly, much to the surprise of Leon and Cloud and the suspicious  _ not _ surprise of Sora. But... Lea and I just... knew each other so well, it was like we had been best friends our whole lives. I always went to Lea when I needed advice, whether it was asking Xion out on a date (which was the definition of a disaster and we decided we were  _ way _ better off as friends), to figuring out what colleges I should apply for. Cloud thought that the redhead wasn’t a great role model, but I never really saw Lea as that... just as a friend. 

 

“Is your head in the clouds, Roxas, or are you just back in zombie mode?”

 

Lea’s voice startled me out of my thoughts and I let out a deep sigh, “Shut up, I had a long night...” 

 

“Oh... finish up that game?”

 

“Nearly. Sora distracted me on the last boss and got me killed...”

 

“Brothers are excellent at doing that...” Lea huffed out a laugh and even I let out a small smile. 

 

“Sora says we’re all gonna go out for ice cream once the others get here. Do you and Isa wanna go?”

 

“Well... Isa’s out visiting relatives on the other side of town. But I’m game...” There was rustling sound on the other end, so I guessed he was getting dressed. “Be there in a min or so...you gonna ask Xion too?”

 

“Yeah, I’ll text her!” I kept the line open while I texted, listening as Lea stumbled around his own apartment, laughing quietly when he cursed under his breath after stumbling into a wall. 

 

I don’t know why he didn’t just open a window. 

 

_ Hey, everyone here is going to get ice cream. Lea’s coming too, wanna join? _

 

She replied quickly. 

 

_ Already in the car with Nam. We were visiting Grandma and Kairi... _

_ Be there in about a half hour or so... _

 

“She’s gonna meet us there with Namine,” I said into the phone, holding it back up to my ear. 

 

“Wow, we might just take up every seat in the shop,” Lea huffed. “Okay, I’m about to leave my apartment now, see you in thirty seconds.” 

 

I walked down the hall, heading for the front door. “You know, I suppose normal people would have hung up the phone by now.”

 

“Normal’s overrated.”

 

I grinned and opened the front door, finally hitting the end call button. “Hey.”

 

Lea grinned and ruffled my hair, something I didn’t even let Sora do on a regular basis. “Hey...”

 

We joined up with Sora and the others in the living room. My brother and his boyfriend were being gross and sharing one of the big comfy chairs, Sora in Riku’s lap. Vanitas and Grey shared the couch, Cerberus laying across them and doing a terrible impression of a lap dog. 

 

“Cute...” Lea chuckled, already taking out his phone to take pictures of the dog. Grey ducked his head in embarrassment while Vanitas glanced up, confused, but his own face became hidden when Cerberus started licking him. 

 

“Send me a copy of that Lea!” Sora called out. 

 

Lea nodded and after a quick text, put his phone away, “So, who else are we waiting on.”

 

“My brother and his friends...” Vanitas gasped out, trying to get Cerberus to stop licking him and rubbing the slobber off his face. “Down, Cerberus!” 

 

Cerberus whined but stopped licking, instead laying his giant head on Van’s chest. I knew from experience that the dog liked to snuggle in. The darker haired boy let out a sigh and rubbed the dog’s head, much to Cerberus’s approval. 

 

“Xion said she and Namine were gonna meet us,” I mentioned, taking the seat next to Grey. Cerberus welcomed my presence by wagging his tail in my face. 

 

Lea stood by my side, one hand on his hip while he chuckled at my efforts to get Cerberus to stop. 

 

“Are you making yourself comfortable, Cerberus?” Cloud asked, coming in with Cerberus’s lead in his hand. 

 

Cerberus barked in agreement, then seemed to spot his lead. All three of us on the couch let out shouts and groans of pain as the large ass dog stepped on us in his hurry to get to Cloud. 

 

“Woah, down!” Cloud said sternly. Cerberus whined but took his front paws off of the blonde’s shoulders landing back on the ground with a loud thump. “You know you’re not supposed to do that...” 

 

“Taking Cerberus for a walk?” Sora asked.

 

“Yeah... I’ll just meet you guys at the ice cream shop later...” He clipped the dog’s lead on. 

 

“Vani and I can take him...” Grey offered. “We can walk him to the park, then walk him to the ice cream shop, get him one of those tiny doggie scoops and walk him back. That should be long enough, yeah?”

 

“I mean... if you want...” Cloud didn’t look like he wanted to protest too much. Soon enough, Grey and Van were bundled up with Cerberus in the lead, walking one way down the street. 

 

“Even with those two walking,” Leon said, walking into the living room as well, “We don’t have enough room in the car for everyone once Ven and the others get here.”

 

Lea waved his concern away, “That’s alright, Roxas and I can walk...just save us some ice cream!” 

 

I glared at him, “Roxas is gonna do what now?”

 

“Aww... C’mon Roxas, you and I both know we need the exercise...” He gave me a bright grin. Despite my reservations about walking that distance, I found myself agreeing. 

 

Soon we were also bundled up against the weather, deciding to get a head start so we weren’t so far behind the others. Lea headed down the stairs first while I waved at Leon and Cloud. As I went to take a step though, I slipped on some ice, crashing right into Lea. 

 

“Woah there! Trying to recreate our first meeting?” Lea chuckled, helping me regain my footing. 

 

I blinked in confusion for a bit, then realized what he meant. Last year, when Leon and I moved, Sora had called me outside for something. When I ran out, I slipped on nearly the same step, crashing right into some skinny but solid figure. 

 

_ “Woah, what hit me...” the voice was deep and confused.  _

 

_ I heard my brother laughing. “My little brother...” _

 

_ Jumping up, I glared at Sora, “Hey! I thought we agreed that when I got taller than you, you couldn’t call me little anymore.” _

 

_ “Hmm... I think I still got at least an inch on you...”  _

 

_ I grumbled and stood up as straight as I could, but found that Sora’s spiky hair made him just that much taller, “No fair, hair shouldn’t count!” _

 

_ “Not what we agreed on!” Sora chuckled.  _

 

_ With a start, I realized that Sora’s laughter had an echo. Turning I glared at the redhead I had knocked over. “What are you laughing at?” _

 

_ “N-Nothing...” He chuckled. “Just... you may not be little, but you sure are a spitfire...” He finally got a hold of himself. “What’s your name?” _

 

_ “...Roxas...” I answered a little confused.  _

 

_ For just a moment, his eyes narrowed, and he seemed to flinch. But it was just a second. Then he grinned. “Hey there, Roxas, my name is Lea.” He then pointed to his head, “Got it memorized?” _

 

_ “Uh... Sure...” I knew the confusion must have shown on my face as Lea gave a chuckle and ruffled my hair, something that I hated when Leon or Sora did it.  _

 

_ I was surprised to find that I didn’t mind so much when Lea did it... _

 

“Earth to Roxas...”

 

A heavy hand landed on my shoulder and I shook my head, “Huh?” 

 

“Man, where is your head today?” Lea laughed, rubbing my hair till I huffed and pushed him away. 

 

“Shut up, I didn’t get much sleep...”

 

“Hmm... is it that new guy?”

 

“Huh?” I shook my head, “No. Vanitas is fine. Kinda weird. And I think he has some pretty bad nightmares. But he’s okay. I was just up all night playing that game...”

 

“Ahh...” Lea didn’t look too reassured. “But no problems with him?”

 

“Nah...” I shrugged, “I mean... yeah, it’s kind of irritating having to share my room again after nearly a year of having it to myself. But Leon kinda told me what was going on with Van’s Grandfather. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone...”

 

“Yeah... guess not...” Lea trailed off and I glanced up at him curiously. 

 

He was getting kind of weird lately. Always staring off in the distance, especially when we got ice cream with Xion or if we were just walking around town. I happened to notice that these moods especially darkened if we were nearing sunset. 

 

Like right now...

 

“So what got you all fired up for walking?” I grumbled, hoping to bring him out of that mood, “Riku could have walked. By himself. In the dark.” 

 

Lea chuckled, “One of these days you’re gonna have to tell me what you got against the guy. He seems nice enough...”

 

“Yeah well...” Truthfully, even I didn’t know what I had against the elder silver haired brother. Outside of the arrogant attitude he had when he was younger, there wasn’t much he had done that I could truly fault him for. Even when he started dating Sora, I was ready to beat him up if he ever made my brother cry, but Sora had never been happier. 

 

But still. He put me on edge. 

 

Lea chuckled, then stared back at the sky for a long moment. “Hey Roxas...”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Do you know why the sun sets red?”

 

I frowned, “What are you on about?”

 

“Light is made up of different colors...” He said, ignoring my question. For a second, I thought I saw a tear slip out of his eye. “And out of all those colors, red travels the farthest...”

 

I huffed. What a random comment, “Like I asked, know-it-all...” Still, Lea’s little facts of information did come in handy on missions. 

 

_ Ba-dunk! _

 

I froze. 

 

Missions?

 

What.... missions? 

 

I frowned, rubbing at my head. Something... something important. 

 

What  _ missions _ ?

 

Then the memories started filling in. Heading out on little excursions... sometimes with Lea... no  _ Axel _ ... sometimes with someone else. Destroying those creatures... collecting hearts. 

 

There was something else too... Something...someone...

 

Distantly, I heard someone crying out. Was that me?

 

Then warm arms surrounded me, pulling me into a chest that smelled of the smoke of a recently extinguished fire. 

 

_ Axel _ ....

 

“Shh... Roxas... it’s okay....” 

 

I could hear him murmuring in my ear, as the memories came back faster and faster. 

 

Even as each one slotted into place, I couldn't... What else was I  _ MISSING _ ?

 

I grabbed on to a memory. A castle.... A rose... a deep underground dungeon area. I had given my weapon, my keyblade to someone. But who... What would I use to fight with?

 

_ Roxas.... That’s a stick.... _

 

Xion?

 

As if the very thought of her was the key, suddenly some of the haze from the memories began to clear. Everything slotted into place and stayed there. I gasped for breath. 

 

“Easy there...”

 

His voice was so soft and caring, something I could only recognize towards the end of my memories... or when he didn’t want to tell me something because he knew it would hurt me. 

 

“Axel...” I murmured. “Axel... what’s....” I couldn’t quite get the words out. 

 

The memories still trickled in, though much slower. Standing, running, fighting, playing... on streets made of amber brick. Where everything was awash in a reddish golden light. 

 

Twilight Town?

 

Then a pure white room, and then sleep... but not quite sleep... Now when I looked into a mirror in those memories, I had Sora’s face. I had to watch through Sora’s eyes as he went on adventures. And then Axel...

 

Axel....

 

_ Axel! _

 

I gasped, finally looking up at the redhead. 

 

His eyes were narrowed in concern, and I realized that he had been running his hand through my hair, soothing it. “Hey... feeling better?”

 

“... I guess...” Shakily, my hand reached up to touch his face, focusing on the area under his eyes. “Where’s your--”

 

“Hey, stay with me...” He murmured, cupping my hand in his. “C’mon. You’re not in that world now. You’re in this one...”

 

A different world?

 

Then, the two sets of memories merged. Right... A different world. One without keyblades or magic or nobodies or heartless. I wasn’t Sora and he wasn’t me. We were different people. 

 

And Axel... no... Lea. 

 

“Lea....” I said shakily, then with more confidence. “Lea.”

 

“That’s right...” he grinned and dropped my hand, though I really wish he hadn’t. 

 

“Lea.... you.... Remember too?”

 

“Yeah....” He nodded, and seemed to be a bit reluctant in letting go of me, but finally he did so and began walking again. 

 

I hurried to catch up. My hand felt so cold and I eyed Lea’s. His hand was so warm earlier. 

 

Maybe he wouldn’t mind if I held it?

 

“They started coming back about a year or so ago... Just... little things at first. Like your name...”

 

“So that’s why... you did flinch when you first met me!” It had been bothering me a bit ever since. 

 

“Yeah... Then bigger things started coming back. I didn’t remember Xion till we all had ice cream that first time.”

 

“Right...” I remembered that day. Xion and I were laughing about something that had happened in school class, but when we turned back to Lea, he was crying. He said he couldn’t really explain why.

 

“I... I thought you’d never remember...” Lea admitted after a while, glancing back at me. “I kept trying to drop hints... but you never showed any indication. Then when your brother got back into town, he came over one day and asked about it, letting me know that he remembered too...”

 

“Sora remembers?!” I frowned, suddenly remembering all of the stupid annoying all knowing smirks and stares I had gotten from him my whole life. That explained so much. “Dammit... no wonder he never seems surprised at anything...” I clenched my fist. “He has so much explaining to do when we get to the ice cream shop.”

 

“Ahh... so we are still going there?”

 

I blinked up at him. “Of course. You’re the one who kept walking. Besides... I just had a major revelation that has shifted my whole life outlook. I think I deserve the icing on the cake.” 

 

Lea had to stop in the middle of the crosswalk he was laughing so hard. Grumbling, I took his hand and practically dragged him out of the street. 

 

...and then I chose to never let go. 

 

Lea used his other hand to wipe his tears of laughter away, “True...” He chuckled a bit more, “Anyway, Sora mentioned that there were a few others who remembered as well. Leon and Cloud... oh, and Riku.”

 

“Riku remembers?!” I suddenly had a flashback to that asshole and his stupid blindfold and stupider questions. “Good, then when I beat his ass, I’ll finally have a valid reason!” 

 

No wonder I never really liked him. 

 

Lea continued to chuckle, even as we reached just outside the ice cream parlor. Before I could go inside, I felt him pull at our still connected hands and I walked with him a little away from the door. 

 

“What?”

 

“I just...” Lea sighed, “I’m glad that you remember now... even though it sounded like it hurt a lot when they all came back at once.”

 

I frowned and rubbed at my head. There was still a residual ache, but one I’m sure would either be cured by ice cream, or would be forgotten soon after a brain freeze. “Yeah... I am too...” I then remembered that Xion and Namine would be here. “Hey Axel... do you think Xion--”

 

“No... I don’t think she remembers...” He looked away a bit, “I’m not sure it would be a good thing if she did.”

 

“Yeah...” I remembered the pain and sadness she had when...when she died. “But still... they’re her memories. She should be allowed to remember, at least.” 

 

“Yeah, maybe...” Lea agreed. “But... I don’t think we can force the issue. It took me a whole year of dropping hints to you before it got through your thick skull.” He rubbed my hair to make a point. “I think these things are just... happening on their own.”

 

“Right...” Lea had a point with that. I suppose we would just have to wait and see. Turning to head inside, I felt him pull on my hand again. “Huh?”

 

Suddenly a pair of warm lips were on mine. I felt my whole face heat up before suddenly, the warmth was gone and I was staring back up at a pair of extremely shy green eyes. “What?”

 

“Sorry...” Lea rubbed at the back of his neck, “I just... promised myself that if you remembered, I wouldn’t waste time not trying that again. Just... you know... without the alcohol.”

 

I blinked in confusion before I suddenly remembered warm lips and wandering hands... and the sharp pain of a broom digging into my spine. Right... the Seniors Party back in May. “Wait... so I didn’t dream that?!”

 

“Huh?” now it was Lea’s turn to be confused. “You... thought it was a dream?”

 

“Well yeah... no way you’d kiss me for real!” Except... was I dreaming right now? I pinched myself and, nope, definite not dreaming. 

 

Lea blinked at me for a moment longer before breaking out into a large grin, “I thought you were just not ready for a relationship... or that you didn’t want to talk about it or something. Or you felt you didn’t know me well enough...” He chuckled, a little soft and sad. “Thought I had ruined my chance there, so I didn’t want to try again till you remembered.”

 

“You mean we could have been doing that sooner?” I grumbled, then pulled his stupid laughing face back into another kiss. 

 

We had a lot of time to make up!

 

After a moment, the laughter stopped and he took the kiss seriously, wrapping his arms around me to pull me close. I wrapped my own arms around his neck, leaning my weight on him as I had to stand on my toes so he wasn’t bent as low. 

 

It was great, perfect, awesome....

 

_ Knock! _

 

And in perfect view of everyone in the ice cream shop. 

 

I knew my face was the same shade of Lea’s hair as I turned to look at Sora’s cheesy grin, and Riku’s smirk. The silver haired boy had his phone out, obviously taking pictures, the asshole. Behind them, I saw Terra and Aqua trying to look anywhere else while Ven was hiding a grin behind his hand. 

 

Oh good, Cloud and Leon were there too, their expressions somehow both concerned and straining against amused smiles. 

 

_ Great... _

 

I wanted to hide in Lea’s coat, but figured that would just make the situation more embarrassing, so I just took a deep breath, tried to get my heart rate back to normal and walked inside. I felt Lea’s presence behind me and couldn’t help but smile a bit. At least I wasn’t alone in my embarrassment. 

 

“Merry Christmas!” Anna, the usual cashier asked, all happy smiles as if she hadn’t just seen me making out in front of her shop, “Same as usual, Roxas? Lea?”

 

“Yeah...” I grinned handing the money over, “My treat, okay Lea?”

 

“You won’t hear any arguments from me...” Lea held up his hands. 

 

Anna grinned and quickly completed the transaction, then opened the freezer. “Oh shi--- I mean, oh dear.” She turned a little sheepish. I remembered from school that she hated swearing in front of others, “We’re almost out of sea salt in this batch. It’ll take me a minute to check with Elsa if there’s any in the back.”

 

I waved, “Take your time, it’s the best flavor here.”

 

She nodded and then quickly ran to the back. “Elsa!” There was a sharp shriek, then a crash. “I’m okay!” 

 

I couldn’t help but chuckle. Anna was clumsy, but hilariously aware of her own faults. She was the only one on the girls soccer team who could dribble the ball for ages, but would trip over her own feet in the school hallways.

 

“What took you guys so long?” Sora teased, coming up to wait with us by the counter, “Leon thought you might have gotten lost...” 

 

“On the way to the ice cream parlor?” I huffed, “Get real...” 

 

I looked back at Sora, then remembered what Lea had mentioned. Sora knew about all these new memories...

 

“Can I talk with you outside for a second?” I asked, not waiting for an answer and just dragging him by the arm. “Lea, hold my ice cream!”

 

“Got it!”

 

As we passed by a confused Riku, I contemplated it for a brief moment before punching him lightly in the ribs. 

 

“Ow!”

 

“Roxas!” 

 

“He knows what that’s for!” I called back, opening the door and dragging my brother outside and far enough away from the windows we wouldn’t be overheard. 

 

“Roxas!” My brother admonished, “I know you don’t really like Riku, but you don’t get to just--”

 

“Kingdom Hearts,” I said, cutting him off. He stared up at me blankly, and I held back a groan. “Kingdom Hearts, Keyblade, Heartless, Nobodies, Organization XIII...You ever think of warning me about  _ any _ of that?!”

 

“Ahh...” Sora looked away for a second before turning back. “Well...”

 

“Well?” I poked him in the chest, “You remember. I think you always have! That would explain those stupid looks all the time, and how you just.... Trusted Riku even though he was a jerk to everyone else but you when we were little. And how you knew that seafood restaurant would go under. Or why you weren’t that surprised Leon took us in even though half the island thought he wouldn’t do it. And why you...” I trailed off, taking a deep breath to calm down, “Why you introduced me to Axel... Lea...” That was gonna take me a bit to get used to. 

 

“I...” He was quiet for a long moment before taking a deep breath, “Yeah... I kinda always remembered. It wasn’t as... solid... I guess at first. Not till I turned fourteen or so.”

 

“The same age as when it all started,” I surmised.

 

“Yeah, I guess in a way...” He nodded. “And yeah, little things would just make sense to me. Riku’s a good guy! He just made... questionable decisions...” He trailed off when he saw my glare, “And yeah, the seafood restaurant was run by someone who used to be a crazy octopus sea witch who turned mermaids into weird sea plants and made deals that weren’t all that clear from the start. So I wasn’t surprised when she was caught selling alcohol to minors...” He leaned against the wall, “As for Leon... I’m not sure how much you can remember when... when your heart was inside mine.”

 

“You mean when I  _ was _ you...”

 

“No...” Sora shook his head and laid his hands on my shoulders. “I always told you, you’re your own person. You’re not me...” 

 

I sighed. He always did believe so strongly in that, all the way to the end. Even when it wasn’t true. “Yeah well... Leon... I can’t remember him that much, just that you always trusted him with your life.”

 

“Yeah well. He kinda took me in when this all started. When Destiny Islands fell to darkness, he took me in when I landed in Traverse Town. So of course he’d take us in.”

 

“Did...” I looked away, “Did you know our parents would...” I trailed off. Even after nearly ten years, I still couldn’t say it. 

 

“No...” Sora shook his head, then moved closer so he could wrap me up in a hug. “No... I didn’t know. I swear I didn’t know that would happen. I miss them too...” 

 

Despite myself, I felt tears well up in my eyes and I hid my face in my brother’s shoulder. 

 

I guess I could handle being the little brother for a little while longer. Sora’s hugs were always the best and it wouldn’t be the same if I was taller than him. 

 

I heard him cry into my own shoulder. Small hiccuping sobs that he tried to keep quiet. Just like when we were kids. “Sora...” I wrapped my own arms around him and rubbed his back. “It’s okay...”

 

“I know...” Sora cried. 

 

We stood there for a moment before he seemed to get a hold of himself and pulled away. “Sorry... I just...”

 

“I get it...” I grinned. “Sorry... I didn’t mean to yell at you... I was just...”

 

“No...I get it too...” Sora huffed and wiped under his eyes. “They’re a little scary I guess... if you don’t know they’re coming...”

 

“Yeah...”

 

At the same time, we turned and began walking back towards the ice cream shop. 

 

“So...” Sora began, “What made you remember?”

 

“Ahh... Lea said something dumb...” I wasn’t going to say exactly what it was. 

 

Sora seemed to get it anyway, as he laughed. “Ahh... I was thinking it might have been true love’s kiss or something...”

 

I groaned, “Ugh... don’t be gross...”

 

“Um, you now have your own boyfriend, apparently. I think I can be as gross as I want...”

 

“Shut up...” I muttered, even as I opened the door letting him go first, “It doesn’t work like that..” 

 

Sora grinned and walked passed me and straight back to Riku, who was still holding his side where I had punched him, but was no longer doubled over. As soon as he saw the remaining tear tracks in Sora’s eyes though, he was all over the brunet, taking him into a hug and wiping the remaining tears away. 

 

Sora, for his part, grinned widely and softly muttered something before laying his head on the silver haired boy’s shoulder. Riku’s eyes grew soft as he tightened his arm around my brother. 

 

Inwardly I groaned and rolled my eyes. I suppose that... I could give Riku another chance. If he was able to get over himself and make Sora that happy, I couldn’t fault him forever. 

 

Well, no. I  _ could _ . But I shouldn’t. 

 

“So... nice talk?” Lea asked, handing me my ice cream. It looked like Anna and her sister had brought up a few more pints of different ice creams while they were in the back. 

 

“Yeah...” I nodded, taking a bite. 

 

Perfect. Just as i remembered it. Only now we usually got it served in a bowl rather than in the form of a popsicle. But it was just as good. 

 

“Oh!” Anna cried out suddenly, startling all of us. “You brought Cerberus!” 

 

I looked over at the window where, sure enough, one large dog was on his hind legs, pressing both his front paws and his nose against the large window. 

 

Cloud groaned and ran a hand over his face. “Cerberus...” 

 

“Can I go... wait...” Anna seemed torn between wanting to run outside to pet the dog and staying at her post. 

 

“Go on...” Her sister, Elsa, chuckled, “I can manage the front end for a few minutes.”

 

“Yay!” Anna laid her hand on the counter and hopped over in a single bound. “Thanks, Elsa!”

 

“Do you want to take him a doggie scoop?” Elsa asked, but looking more at Cloud for permission. 

 

Cloud nodded and Anna hurried back over to get the scoop of vanilla from her sister. 

 

Then she ran back out the door, much to the excitement of Cerberus. 

 

“That dog is so fucking spoiled.” Cloud muttered, eating his own ice cream. 

 

Leon chuckled running a hand through his husband’s hair, “Like you don’t spoil him at home?”

 

“...shut up.” 

 

Everyone else in the ice cream shop let out a series of chuckles till Grey came in, Vanitas and Anna still outside with the dog, who was eagerly licking every last drop out of the bowl of ice cream. “Hey,” he waved hello at Elsa, “Two servings of Sea-Salt please?”

 

Elsa grinned and quickly scooped out the ice cream, “You guys must be a Sea-Salt family. I don’t think we’ve had so many orders of it at once...”

 

“It’s a bit of a tradition,” I explained. 

 

“Ahh...” Elsa grinned, handing over Grey and Vanitas’s ice cream. Grey ran back outside, hesitating just long enough to hold the door open for Namine and Xion. 

 

_ Xion... _

 

The dark haired girl grinned as she walked in, “Did you save any Sea Salt for us?”

 

“We brought up a whole new carton for you guys!” Elsa grinned, “I’m guessing two servings of Sea-Salt then?”

 

“Please,” Namine said, then handed the money over while the other platinum blonde got the order ready. 

 

I never really noticed how much Elsa and Namine looked alike... Kind of weird... 

 

“So... anything exciting happen while we were stuck in traffic?” Xion joked. 

 

“Um...” I looked away, trying to go for a grin. 

 

Lea then took my hand and gave me a slight nudge. “Not really!” He winked, then leaned over to kiss me on the cheek. 

 

Xion stared for just a second before her eyes lit up. “Finally!” 

 

_ What? _

 

She laughed, “C’mon Roxas. Lea’s had a crush on you for forever... not to mention the closet make out...”

 

“What...” I flushed, “Wait... you knew about that! I thought that was just a dream!”

 

Xion continued to laugh while I grumbled. Why did everyone know about this whole crush thing besides me?

 

I felt Lea squeeze my hand, and I suddenly just didn’t care anymore about it. 

 

I had my friends back. That’s all I really wanted...

 

**\--- End of Summer Vacation, Destiny Islands ---**

 

“Roxas!” Xion tried to pull me out of Lea’s sleeping embrace, “Come on! Kairi and Aqua wanna go diving for oysters and you promised to help!!” She pulled again, succeeding in dragging me at least off the beach towel and onto the hot sand. 

 

Lea grumbled in retaliation, turning to grab a better hold on me. Between the two of them, I was feeling rather stretched and was glad when Xion let go. My possessive boyfriend let out another grumble before blinking one eye open. “Where are you trying to take my boyfriend?”

 

“Just to the ocean. I promise to bring him back in one piece!” Xion grinned. Sure that I would follow, she ran ahead to grab the other girls.

 

Lea huffed and let go of my waist. I laughed as I stood, squeezing his hand before I let go, “I’ll be back in a second. Go back go sleep.”

 

“Too late. Now I’m up...” the redhead yawned and stretched before hopping to his feet. 

 

On the other blanket, Isa huffed, his nose still buried in his book. “So much for sleeping your way through vacation.”

 

“Well, I guess the point of the beach is to enter the water at some point...” the redhead winked, grinning back at Isa’s half smile before joining me to catch up with Xion.  

 

“...So... she did manage to wake you both up...”

 

I looked over to where Namine had silently started to walk beside us, a wide brimmed sun hat protecting her face from the sun. “Yeah... she’s pretty persistent when she puts her mind to something. That didn’t change.” Though... I kind of wish it did. 

 

The last thing Xion was very persistent about practically killed her...

 

I sighed, wishing that I could actually talk to Xion about that. Unfortunately, one of the things we all made sure of before we came on this little vacation was figuring out who remembered and who didn’t. 

 

Out of the thirteen of us currently on the island, twelve had their memories back. 

 

Xion did not. 

 

_ “She wasn’t exactly real to begin with,” Namine murmured, her voice barely above a whisper as her sister was only a few steps away ordering ice cream for all of us. “Her memories...” _

 

_ “She was real to us!” I argued. I saw Lea nod in agreement beside me. _

 

_ Namine sighed, her hands fiddling with the loose fabric of her skirt, “I know that. Everyone knows that. But...even I don’t know why some of us remembered. Or why we remembered at different times... I can only guess...” She shook her head, at a loss.  _

 

_ I let out my own sigh. “Right... sorry Namine...” _

 

_ “It’s alright...” Namine tried to grin, “I want her to remember too. So she knows that you two will always be her best friends...” _

 

As Xion laughed, pulling Kairi to the sea, I couldn’t help but feel sad at the ironic situation. Lea, Xion and I... we promised we’d one day go to the beach on our next vacation. And here we are... and Xion doesn’t even remember that promise. 

 

“She’ll be okay...” Lea said, clearly guessing my thoughts and laying a hand on my shoulder, squeezing lightly. “Whether or not she remembers, we’ll always be her friend. Right?”

 

I nodded, “Right.” I then took a deep breath, trying to expel the sadness on the exhale before taking off on a run towards the ocean. “Hey! Save some for me!” 

 

“Well, you gotta hurry up and get them!” Xion shouted back. 

 

We harvested oysters for a while, Xion and I pulling more up, but Kairi and Aqua both got the hang of it, figuring out which ones were good and which ones were not. Lea helped carry the buckets of oysters back to the beach where Namine sat next to the iced cooler, her eyes on her drawing pad, only glancing up for reference. 

 

After another few times diving under, I felt the need for a break, so I swam back to shore. Aqua joined me and we walked up to Namine on her blanket. When we next looked back, Kairi and Xion had dragged Lea into a splash war. 

 

Lea was losing. 

 

Badly. 

 

I suppose I  _ could _ go help him...

 

I dropped off my most recent catch in the ice cooler holding it open long enough for Aqua to drop hers off before taking a seat next to Namine.

 

“Not gonna go save your boyfriend?” Aqua laughed, taking a seat on the other side of the blonde. 

 

“Nah. Survival of the fittest and all.”  

 

Namine let out a small puff of laughter but didn’t say anything. I glanced over to her drawing, recognizing the outlines of me, Xion, Aqua, Kairi, and Lea in various states of diving in the water. “That’s really good!”

 

“Hmm...” Namine looked at it before sighing. “I’m not sure if I got the movement right. I don’t like how the water looks...” She started another small sketch in the corner of the paper. 

 

“I suppose that just takes practice,” Aqua observed. 

 

“Always...” Namine agreed, half distracted as she always was when she drew. 

 

The blue haired woman and I shared a grin before a yelp from the far side of the island caught our attention. 

 

“Dammit! C’mon! Best three out of five!” Vanitas shouted. 

 

“Should have known you’d get competitive...”

 

“You don’t have room to talk, Terra...” Ven’s voice sounded close to the doorway that divided the play island. They must have been getting ready to head back. “You lost every race.” The door opened, revealing the rest of the group. 

 

“I’m strong, not fast...” Terra grumbled as he held the door for the rest of the group. Riku and Sora ducked under his arm, laughing, followed quickly by Vanitas and Grey. The darker haired boy looked like he was limping a bit as they drew near. 

 

First a near drowning earlier this afternoon, now an injury. Vanitas just wasn’t having a good day...

 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Ven asked, ruffling his brother’s hair. 

 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine...” Van grumbled, waving the blonde’s hands away. “Stop babying me.” 

 

Ven huffed but retreated, running to catch up to Terra, Sora and Riku as they made their way out into the ocean, either trying to help Lea or to further drench him. 

 

“What happened?” Aqua asked, and I turned my attention back to her as Vanitas and Grey sat down. 

 

“Tripped over a damn piece of wood in the final stretch...” Vanitas sighed, rubbing his ankle. “I was so close...”

 

Grey chuckled. “There’s always next time!”

 

“Yeah...” Van let out a small smile, “I guess...” He leaned his head on Grey’s shoulder. 

 

I huffed, watching them and rolling my eyes. I didn’t think they were as annoyingly lovey-dovey as I thought they were last Christmas. Mostly because Sora and Van both had photographic proof that Lea and I were possibly the most annoyingly in love of all (except for Terra and Ven. They were in a league all their own...). But they were still...

 

Cute. I guess. 

 

“Aqua!” Ven called out. 

 

The blue haired woman looked away from where she had been observing the two next to her with a quiet smile. Seeing Ven wave her over, she called out “Coming!” and then stood, running back to the surf. 

 

It looked like they had formed teams now, splashing each other in some kind of game that had no rules. Xion, Ven, Terra, and Aqua vs Kairi, Sora, Riku, and Lea. 

 

After a moment, Grey and Van also left their spot, the silver haired boy pulling Vanitas off the sand. “C’mon, I wanna show you another thing you can do at the beach.”

 

“It doesn’t involve swimming though, right?” Van grumbled as he was led away, “Cause we agree I suck at it...”

 

Grey huffed out a strained laugh, “We’ll fix that. But for now, you won’t even get your feet wet!” 

 

They went down to the surf, where Grey showed Van all of the different shells that turned up as the waves rolled in. 

 

“I hope we get to be like this...for a long time.” 

 

I glanced over. Namine had shut her sketchbook and was now just observing everyone, evidently trying to memorize this moment. 

 

“We will. Now that we’re all together again, I doubt any of us are ever gonna let go.”

 

“Hmm... true...” 

 

“Roxas!!” 

 

I looked over to where Lea was under attack. Evidently Kairi had convinced her cohorts to turn on their teammate and now it was everyone against Lea. He was dishing out as good as he got, but it was evident that he now needed rescuing. 

 

“I’ll go take the oysters back so we can eat them with dinner when Leon and Cloud get here,” Namine said, standing up and easily lifting the cooler. “I think Lea needs help...”

 

“Yeah.... I guess...” I waved at her before running into the surf, passing Grey and Van, both with their hands full of different shells. 

 

Sora, Aqua, and Ven were the easiest to guilt into letting up, and soon I was able to drag a very drenched boyfriend back to shore, the others following close behind now that the game was over. 

 

“Hey... Riku and I are gonna go find firewood so Leon and Cloud can get the fire started as soon as they get here...” Sora gestured towards the distant main island. If I squinted, I could just make out another rowboat making its way towards us. 

 

“Oh, I can help!” Lea offered but I quickly tugged him away. 

 

“I don’t think Cloud needs to see that you brought your lighter after what happened last time...”

 

“...oh yeah....” 

 

Sora chuckled and even Riku let out a small smile before leading my brother away, Terra, Ven and Aqua following behind. 

 

With a frown, I realized that Xion had not joined them and I looked back out towards the water. 

 

She was leaning over something Van had in his hands. I walked closer, realizing that it was some sort of strange seashell. 

 

It wasn’t till Van held it up to the light that the outline and coloring struck me as familiar. 

 

It was the same type of seashell that was left behind when Xion...

 

“I’ve never seen one like that before...” Xion said, “Can I--” she motioned to pick it up. 

 

“Sure...” Vanitas offered it without much thought. 

 

I was just a few yards away, but I saw the moment a tear ran from the corner of her eye down her face. 

 

I started running, Lea at my heels. 

 

Van had jumped back a bit in shock, not sure what to do when Xion took a shuddering breath and the tears began to fall more rapidly. “Woah! What did I do wrong? I’m sorry!” He hesitated, not wanting to touch her in case he made it worse. Grey also ran over to see what the issue was. 

 

Xion stared at the shell before it fell out of her hand and back into the surf. 

 

I approached a little cautiously as well. “Xion?”

 

As if that shocked her out of the trance, she turned towards me. “Roxas?” Her voice was quiet, more like it was back when she first joined the organization. 

 

“Yeah...” I nodded, stepping closer so I could wrap an arm around her. Lea stepped closer and wrapped us both in a hug till Xion was breathing a little easier. She glanced up at the redhead. 

 

“Axel?... no... Lea...?” She looked so confused, so I laid a hand on her head and ruffled her hair. 

 

“C’mon. Let’s go sit down a bit...” I waved off Vanitas and Grey, who both watched in concern, then Lea and I gently led her back to where we had laid out the beach towels and blankets. Isa and Namine had laid out the rest of the supplies we had brought over earlier and now the two were waiting at the dock as Leon and Cloud pulled their boat in, giving Lea, Xion and me time to talk privately. 

 

“So...” Lea began, not sure where to go from there. 

 

“What’s going on?” Xion asked instead, looking down at her hands. “Why... What happened? Why do I have two sets of memories? Is it...another trick?”

 

“No!” I reassured her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “No... this is real. Namine is your sister and Kairi’s your cousin and we all meet up for ice cream every chance we get.”

 

“Right... but... the other...” She flinched and clutched her head. 

 

Lea let out a sigh, “None of us are sure what exactly happened. Sora has his theories, and I’m sure Riku and Namine have theirs. The rest of us though... we’re just glad we have this second chance...” He let out a grin, “I for one am glad I get to have ice cream with my best friends again.”

 

After a long moment, Xion nodded. “Right...” Then she let out a grin, “We... We finally made it to the beach!”

 

“I know right?!” I laughed pulled her in for a hug. Lea wrapped an arm around both of us. 

 

“And we have many, many more vacations...” He grinned, kissing my cheek and ruffling her hair. 

 

“Hey!” 

 

We all glanced up at Isa’s shout. He motioned for us to come over and we slowly stood, walking over to the dock. Namine was helping Cloud unload the larger rowboat while Leon finished tying it up to the dock. 

 

“You three just gonna watch while everyone else does the work?” Isa rolled his eyes. “Just like old times then?”

 

“Shut up...” Lea grumbled, “Just because you never figured out how to relax...”

 

“Hmm...” 

 

“Saix?” 

 

I glanced over to where Xion was looking up at Isa with a mix of confusion and a bit of fear and she tried to hide behind me a bit. Which... I supposed made sense. Xion didn’t really know Isa as well as I did, and only remembered Saix as a mean, broody ass who gave her missions. 

 

Isa blinked for a bit before huffing out a small grin and holding out his hand. “I’m Isa here. And I promise I won’t make you fill out any mission reports.” 

 

Xion hesitated before shaking his hand. “Right... okay...” She offered a small grin before running to help her sister unload the rowboat. 

 

_ Splash! _

 

“Cerberus!” Leon called out, but, as usual, the dog ignored him and swam for shore, shaking out just a bit before barking, running down the shoreline. When I glanced down that way, I saw that Vanitas had a split second warning before he was knocked down by 120 pounds of solid dog. 

 

“I swear I had him trained...” Cloud grumbled. 

 

“Not really...” I muttered. He huffed and ruffled my hair, passing off a cooler as well as a few more blankets. 

 

We all headed back to the beach, arriving to the spot we had set up earlier just as Sora, Riku, and the rest came back with firewood. Vanitas and Grey walked up as well, the darker haired boy rubbing sand out of his hair. Cerberus looked extremely pleased with himself and ran over to try and tackle Sora to the ground as well. 

 

Xion seemed to recover from the sudden impact of memories, focusing instead on helping Lea and I get dinner ready. 

 

“Hey...” 

 

We all glanced up at the voice and saw Van and Grey hovering nearby. The darker haired boy looked a little nervous. 

 

“I’m sorry... if I did something to make you upset... or whatever...” He looked away, rubbing the back of his neck, similar to Sora. 

 

Xion blinked, then grinned. “It’s fine. You couldn’t have known... but that seashell... it brought up some memories that... I kind of forgot about.”

 

Vanitas glanced up, blinking. “Oh... so... you existed back then, too?”

 

This time, Xion looked away. “I guess... in a way... While at the same time... not really.” She chuckled. “It’s kind of a long story... but I was just a replica...”

 

“Hey, me too!” Grey exclaimed, walking up to stand next to Van. “Vexen?”

 

“Vexen,” Xion confirmed and the two of them shared a smile. 

 

Vanitas coughed, “Well... I didn’t know if you wanted this or not... but...” He held up the thalassa shell. 

 

Xion reached out for it, then hesitated. “No... you should keep it. You found it... It’ll be like a lucky charm.”

 

“Thanks, but I already have one...” Vanitas offered a grin, “It was kind of useless today, but I’m good. I thought you’d might like to keep this one though.”

 

Xion smiled and nodded, taking the shell and holding it close. “Thank you, Vanitas.” She glanced back up, “So... that means we’re friends now, right?” 

 

Van chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. “Sure, I guess...”

 

Van and Grey both both helped us set up the rest of dinner. Afterwards, as the sun set, Xion joined Lea and I as we sat on the dock. 

 

“It’s not the clock tower,” Lea said, “But it’s close...”

 

“I don’t think they’ll let us sit on the clock tower now...” Xion observed. “That was kind of dangerous...” 

 

“Yeah...” I agreed laughing. 

 

Behind us, we could hear the sounds of the others still playing on the beach, or finishing up dinner. Leon mentioned something about bringing out sparklers once the sun went down. 

 

“We’ll always have sunsets like this.” Xion voice wasn’t sad, just knowing and content. 

 

“Yep...” Lea agreed. 

 

“Forever.” In my heart I knew that. Whatever happened in the future, I would always have my best friends at my side, and no chance of losing them again. 

 

Summer would soon be ending. Distantly, I remembered another summer vacation, long ago. One that had ended sooner that I expected, but one that I had enjoyed all the same. 

 

At least this time, I knew there would be more summer vacations. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Sea Salt Trio reunited at last! And they made it to the beach! :D
> 
> Subtitle is from "When We're Together" from _Olaf's Frozen Adventure_ , which, yeah is technically a "short," but it was long enough to practically be a sequel. Plus the song was just too perfect! Also, funny enough, even though I had the subtitle picked out for this chapter a while ago, Elsa and Anna didn't make an appearance in the fic till the third rewrite. I'm so glad they did though, they were fun to write!
> 
> Please comment if you liked it, or if I left in a glaring grammar issue! :D


	9. Repliku/Grey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, Repliku/Grey's chapter (and yes, for the first... half/third of this chapter, I kept having to remind myself to type Repliku and not Grey...) It was interesting to write the same scenes from parts of the original fic (and parts of chapter three of this fic) from Grey's POV and I tried not to make it too repetitive or deja vu feeling. Hope you enjoy!

_ ~Part of Me So Long Forgotten~  
_

 

**-Start of the school year, Apartment 313, Radiant Garden-**

 

“Hey kid, can you grab that?”

 

I frowned at the phone that was still ringing before answering it. It was way too early for people to call. 

 

“Hello?”

 

“No need to sound so sullen, Riku...”

 

The phone creaked as my hand tightened on it, “Wrong son, Mother...”

 

“Ahh... Repliku, you must have grown while you are out of sight of your poor worried mother. You sound so much older now. Please forgive your mother for such a slip of the tongue.”

 

“.... No, I don’t think I will...” I muttered, already about to hang up the phone as I heard her scoff and mutter something about impertinence. 

 

“Is your brother around?” She asked, just loud enough that I caught it before I slammed the phone back on his hook. 

 

“Telemarketer?” Riku asked as he walked into the kitchen. 

 

“Worse...” I muttered, going back to my breakfast. 

 

“Bill collector?” 

 

I glared at his benign smile. He knew exactly who was on the damn phone. 

 

He caught my glare and his grin faded into something more apologetic. “Sorry... I’m working in getting the telephone number unlisted but...”

 

“No point now if she knows it...” I sigh, “Can’t we just block her?”

 

“Already tried that on my cell...” Riku shrugged, pulling his shoes on. “She just calls on someone else’s phone. I can’t block every number from the islands.”

 

I groan, “Then I vote we put the landline on silent. We always use our cellphones anyway.” 

 

“Hmm... Something to think about.” He ruffled my hair and I groaned, hurriedly trying to get it back into place again. 

 

He was such a pain. 

 

“So... ready for school?” He grinned, jingling his car keys. 

 

“Ugh...” I groaned, but took my cereal bowl to the sink anyway and grabbed my bag. “Do you have your reminder set?”

 

“Yep.” He reached into his pocket and shook a small bag with his medications in it. “When did you turn into such a mother hen?”

 

“Sora made me promise to make sure you didn’t lapse just cause he wasn’t here to remind you,” I stuck out my tongue, “He doesn’t have that much faith in you.”

 

“And it’s still probably more than I deserve.” Riku’s voice was nearly too quiet to hear, but the words stuck with me. 

 

Ever since that night nearly 2 years ago now, when I ran into his room angry and scared because of what I had overheard, Riku had changed. It was subtle, and it was only because I grew up with him that I noticed it. I think Sora noticed too.

 

But whereas before, Riku could come across as arrogant and overconfident, now he was almost reserved in a way. As if he thought he wasn’t good enough for anything. 

 

But in other ways, he suddenly became way more responsible practically overnight, managing to emancipate himself from our parents at seventeen as well as get the Destiny Island courts to let me decide who I wanted to live with. Even the social worker, Miss Merryweather, was impressed with his initiative. 

 

We were starting to have that brotherly relationship that Sora and Roxas had. The one I had been intensely jealous of growing up. 

 

“C’mon... before you miss the first bell.”

 

“We still have plenty of time.” I rolled my eyes, but grabbed my own set of keys and followed him out the door. 

 

The drive was fast, though I insisted that Riku drop me off at the corner rather than at the front door. I didn’t have a death wish to be teased on the first day of school...

 

“Give it back, Marluxia!” 

 

In the distance, I saw Namine jumping, trying to retrieve her sketchbook from a taller Senior who held it above her head. 

 

I took off at a run. 

 

It probably wasn’t my best move to make on the first day of school. 

 

\---

 

I swear it was more instinct than anything else as I dodged Vanitas’s punch, grabbed the outstretched hand and flipped him over on his back. He landed with a grunt, but it didn’t sound like he had broken anything. 

 

“Sorry...” I smirked as he flailed like a turtle, “Are you okay?”

 

“Ugh...” He groaned, blinking his eyes open, the light brown shining a near golden color in the afternoon sun. I was suddenly struck by the same thought I had back at lunch as we glared at each over a stupid comment. 

 

His eyes were  _ gorgeous _ .

 

Instantly I felt my face start to heat up and knelt down to his level, instead turning my focus onto the fact that he hadn’t gotten up yet. Maybe I did hurt him?

 

That would be just perfect. Woke up to an unwanted call from mother, got into a fight before first period, ignored Namine for most of the day, and now injured my potential new friend with the pretty eyes. 

 

Pretty, pretty eyes... and a nice body, too...

 

_ Focus, Repliku! _

 

I tried to search the back of his head for any bumps or bruises, my hand carding through the spikey strands as softly as I knew how. Suddenly he sat up, nearly knocking his forehead into my nose. 

 

“Ugh...” he groaned again, glaring at me, “What the hell?!”

 

Oh good, if he could swear he must be okay. “Sorry... but you did throw the first punch.”

 

“You snuck up on me!”

 

I frowned. Did he not hear me calling? “I was calling your name for about two blocks... didn’t you hear me?”

 

He looked confused and then flustered at that, before finally settling on resigned. “What did you want?”

 

I hurriedly asked him about the biology documents that I had neglected to get from Aerith earlier and, after a moment, convinced him to make a short detour to my apartment. 

 

The whole walk there, I couldn’t help but sneak some short glances at him. It wasn’t just his hair, which was scarily similar to Sora’s, or his eyes. There was just something about him that was fascinating to me. Quick to get into a fight, but also quick to back down from one. A bit like Sora, but there was a grim determination around Vanitas that the laid back Sora couldn’t replicate. 

 

Riku was quick to notice the similarities as well, though I did notice my brother was on edge for some reason. I couldn’t figure out why; it wasn’t like Vanitas was dangerous. 

 

To my embarrassment, I knew I visibly deflated when he said he had to leave, something Riku couldn’t help but tease me about as soon as the dark haired boy was out the front door. 

 

“There’s no reason to look like a deflated beach ball,” Riku ruffled my hair, laughing when I ducked under it to go back to the counter, “He said he’ll be back.”

 

“Unless you just scared him away...” I muttered, “What got you so on edge anyway?”

 

Riku paused in the doorway to the kitchen, seeming to think on it for a moment before offering a grin, “I guess it’s cause I’d never seen you so relaxed when you got home. Thought maybe he drugged you or something.”

 

“Or something...” I repeated, extremely doubtful of this explanation. 

 

“So, I managed to get Mom’s number blocked from the landline,” Riku said, changing the conversation.

 

I raised an eyebrow, but went along with it. If Riku didn’t want to talk about it, then fine. “Yeah, but like you said, wouldn’t she just call from another phone?”

 

“Then I’ll can vet all phone calls before I let anyone talk to you if you want...” Riku shrugged. “Miss Merryweather said that you didn’t have to talk to her or father.”

 

“Yeah but...” I just wished Riku didn’t have to talk to her either. Ever since that night, Riku always got into a funk after talking with our mother over the phone. Father had basically given up on us and neither Riku nor I had heard from him since the day we moved to Radiant Garden. Mother kept trying though, desperately wanting to get that magazine cover happy family back. Riku mentioned that her power within the parents’ clubs and town council had diminished ever since she essentially ran her own kids off. 

 

I guess she thought that if she could convince one to go back, the other would follow. 

 

She was still uncomfortably focused on Riku. 

 

“Don’t worry about it.” Riku took a seat next to me, pulling out his own homework. “Just a few more years and neither of us will ever have to think about her again. Merryweather is already eagerly drafting up the restraining order. I think she even got Miss Flora in on it to finalize the wording.”

 

“Wouldn’t just a big ‘fuck you’ get the point across?”

 

“It probably would,” Riku smirked, “But just imagine a sophisticatedly worded ‘fuck you’ that expanded into twenty lines of meaningless prose that mocked her exact style of speaking?”

 

It  _ was _ tempting...

 

We sat in comfortable silence as we did our homework, Riku occasionally helping me on the math portions. 

 

I couldn’t help but think that Vani would fit perfectly in the extra space to my left. 

 

\---

 

“It’s okay, I like getting into Repliku’s messes.” Vani offered up a small grin, “That’s what best friends do... right?”

 

Oh....

 

_ Oh _ ... I am in trouble now. 

 

His eyes seemed to glow with happiness, the gold that usually only came out in the sunlight was now radiating outwards. His cheeks were flushed a little, worried over whether he had gotten it right. 

 

My heart beat double time and I hoped he couldn’t hear it. Or see it in my face. 

 

Later, after he left, Riku smirked. “Someone’s got a crush~” he teased. 

 

“Shut up!” I muttered, then glared at the phone he was pulling out. “If you text that to Sora I swear to--”

 

“Hmm... I wonder what Sora would give you guys as a ship name....” He wondered aloud while texting. “Replitas? Vaniku?” He chuckled even as I dove for the phone so it could make an unexpected trip out the window. 

 

He dodged my lunge of course, sidestepping me so I fell into the couch. Glaring at him, I huffed out, “Oh come on, those are ridiculous names!”

 

“Ah... but you also didn’t deny them either...” He smirked and offered up his phone screen, showing the text he had sent. 

 

_ Little bro realized his first crush today. I’m not mentally prepared for him to date. _

 

Almost immediately, the replies started pouring in. 

 

_ Who is it?! _

_ Who has caught the attention of our baby?! _

_ Is it the cute dark haired guy?! _

_ Please tell me it’s the cute dark haired guy!! _

_ Riku!!! _

_ I call first dibs on giving them their official ship name!! _

_ I also call dibs on giving cute dark haired guy the shovel talk if needed!!  _

_ You can help...I guess. But we got to have shovels and everything!! _

 

“You’re both ridiculous...” I muttered crossing my arms and laying back on the couch. “Two dorks who deserve each other...” I didn’t bother to correct him on the one thing he got wrong. 

 

Vani wasn’t my  _ first _ crush. 

 

Not that I had a crush on him. At all. 

 

“Hmm...” Riku took a seat next to me on the couch, “So... about Mother...”

 

“Ugh...” I groaned and leaned against the back of the couch. “I can’t believe she showed up at the school again.” 

 

“What did she say this time?”

 

“Her usual...” I sat up, “That you can’t take proper care of me due to your illness, that she just wants what’s best for me, that if you’re gonna be a rebellious son, I can have all of your inheritance if I would just go back to the islands with her.”

 

“Inheritance?” He seemed to think on that for a bit, “It’s too bad she’s unbearable and about as trustworthy as a pack of one ply toilet paper. We could have stayed with her till she died and then split the profits...”

 

Despite the situation, I doubled over with laughter, “Oh man, we still probably wouldn’t have gotten it. We’d have killed her...”

 

“Hmm... also a tempting option,” he grinned and ruffled my hair, which I was slowly getting used to and didn’t immediately move out of the way. “But in all seriousness, you know the heart thing, while permanent, is under control, right? As long as I take the medication--”

 

“I know,” I shook my head, “I’m not worried about that. And I don’t want her money either. I just... want to move on.”

 

“Yeah...” Riku nodded, “That sounds good...”

 

\---

 

“We should--” 

 

Vanitas pulled me in for another lingering kiss and I kind of forgot what I was going to say. 

 

After a long moment, he pulled away in grinned cheekily. “Sorry, you were talking so I couldn’t resist...”

 

“What--?” 

 

He pulled me in again. 

 

There was something important right?? 

 

His mouth trailed down to nip at my neck and  _ (“O-oh! Vani!”) _ his hand trailed down my side. Part of my brain tried to remember what I was forgetting. It had to be important...

 

We just presented our project today and neither of us had homework. It was the end of the school week so we didn’t have any pressing studying to do...

 

_ BEEP! BEEP! _

 

Vanitas broke away, startled and I suddenly realized what I had forgotten. 

 

He still had to go home. 

 

Riku’s medical alarm acted as an effective reminder for Vanitas as well, signaling he should be getting ready to go home. It was annoying in many ways, and I swear Riku had started to set the alarm to a louder volume just to irritate me. 

 

Vanitas let out a sigh against my lips and pulled away, untangling my hands from his hair as he did so. I couldn’t help but giggle and help him rearrange the strands into some sort of order. 

 

A promise and a last kiss later, I was watching as Vanitas left, the bad feeling still settled on my shoulders. I almost wanted to pull him back here, but I knew that might just make it worse... 

 

“Don’t worry,” Sora said as he came up behind me, placing a hand on my shoulder, “Riku and I will figure something out.”

 

“I just...feel so helpless...” I sighed, leaning my forehead against the door. “I... want to protect him.”

 

“I know...”

 

I turned, and Sora drew me into a tight hug. 

 

“I get it,” the brunet continued, “Trust me.”

 

I frowned, a bit concerned. What could Riku have possibly needed protection from? Mother perhaps...? 

 

I nodded, blinking away the heat in my eyes from unshed tears. “How did you... deal with it?”

 

“Hmm...” Sora thought on it for a moment, “I guess I just trusted that Riku would ask for my help when he needed it.”

 

“Riku needs help with what now?” my brother asked, coming into the kitchen, already bundled up to head to some sort of group project meeting. 

 

“Nothing!” Sora grinned, kissing Riku on the cheek, “You’ll be back late right?”

 

“Yeah... you can just order food in or something. I’ll pick something up on the way home,” Riku returned the kiss, then slipped his shoes on, heading out the door. 

 

“So...” Sora grinned, “I suppose we don’t need to call in for food quite yet... so...I want to check out that racing game you and Vanitas were playing earlier. Want to play with me?”

 

“... I guess...” I didn’t feel up to playing, but I didn’t really want to do anything else either. 

 

I only lasted about fifteen or so minutes before I sighed and put the game on pause. 

 

“Hmm... still thinking about Vanitas?” Sora asked. 

 

I nodded, “Yeah... I just... can’t shake the feeling that something bad is gonna happen.” I shrugged, “I guess that sounds weird.”

 

“Nah...” Sora put his controller down and leaned against the back of the couch. “Like I said before, I get it. Riku used to do dumb dangerous self sacrificing things all the time and tell everyone he was fine when he was clearly not fine.” 

 

His face got all scrunched up when he said that, as if the thought still irritated him. 

 

“What did you do to make him stop?” I wondered. I was also curious to what Sora meant by ‘used to.’ To me it seemed like Riku was still self sacrificing.

 

“Well... I didn’t...” Sora shrugged, “At least... I didn’t do it by myself. I could just... point out to Riku that he could still do the right thing without being self sacrificing about it. That he didn’t have to put himself in danger, even if it might have done some good later down the road.” He let out a sigh, “I mean... I get why he did what he did... but I just wish he could have told me about it sooner so I could have helped him. But in the end, he had to realize that he was worth so much more than that. He didn’t have to live in Darkness so that I, or anyone else, could be happy...”

 

Why did it sound like Sora said darkness with a capital ‘D’?

 

I thought on that for a moment before finally just letting out a sigh and nodding, “Yeah. I guess you’re right.”

 

Less than thirty minutes after that conversation, there was a knock at the door and my boyfriend collapsed in my arms bumped, bruised and dehydrated, which only confirmed my fears that something bad  _ had _ happened. 

 

As I gently iced the bump at the back of Vani’s head, listening to him talk about his insane Grandfather, I could help but be glad that he kept his promise. His life was worth so much more than living with a crazy man. 

  
  


\---

 

It was worse than I feared. Vani’s grandfather really was  _ insane _ . Possibly more insane than my mother. 

 

Talking about other worlds. Or  _ this _ world. Or Kingdom of Hearts?

 

_ Weird.  _

 

\---

 

_ Toy...fake... memories... _

 

_ No... I’m not a fake. I’m not! _

 

I struggled out of the hold trying to trap me, finally breaking free and making a run for it. Ahead of me, someone was walking calmly, and I hurried to catch up. I tried to call out to them, but found my voice wouldn’t work. Once I got closer I realized that I couldn’t move around the person. I was stuck walking behind them. 

 

Somehow, I recognized this as a dream. The confusing layout. The haze around the edges of the flat white hallway I was in. I  _ knew _ this was a dream. 

 

But I was still trapped in my dream body. 

 

I began to realize that the person I was following had silver hair, like me. They were wearing a yellow sleeveless shirt and blue pants... with some kind of other pants?? I thought it was odd, but as I looked down at their shoes, I discovered that I was wearing the same outfit. 

 

Then I noticed that we walked at the same pace, in the same fashion. I tried to stop, but my feet wouldn't listen, I tried to wave my arms, skip a few steps, anything to stop copying this person. 

 

Or was this person copying me?

 

But I couldn’t do anything! When the person in front of me stopped, my feet stopped too. 

 

Then they turned around. 

 

It was me!

 

The me in front of me scoffed. “Who are you supposed to be?”

 

“I’m you...” My mouth answered for me, despite my brain’s protest. 

 

_ No, I’m me! _

 

“No, I’m me!” The other person stressed, echoing my thoughts. 

 

“I’m just a better version of you,” I scoffed instead. 

 

The me in front rolled his eyes, “Oh yeah, what’s that supposed to mean?”

 

Suddenly, it was like a dark haze settled over my eyes, shadowing the boy in front of me. When it cleared, I somehow knew I was wearing a different outfit. It felt wrong. Itchy. It squeezed at my body like a rubber band and I felt like I couldn’t get enough air. 

 

What was going on?

 

“Just cause your the real Riku, doesn’t make you better!” I heard myself shouting. 

 

_ The real Riku? _

 

I felt my hand clench around something. Looking down I saw an oddly shaped blade, almost like some sort of demonic wing in shades of red and purple. The other boy... the other Riku?...  held the same blade. There was a determined look in his eye, not unlike what my brother looked like whenever our mother called. 

 

My brother... Riku?

 

Though this dream was strange, I suddenly was sure that the figure in front of my was my brother. I tried to call out to him, but my mouth wouldn’t cooperate. Instead, it let out a scream and rushed at him. Riku evaded the blows easily, and retaliated with several of his own. Though I felt that I knew swordsmanship, it was distant, like something I read from a book rather than having any kind of instinct. 

 

Riku defeated me easily. 

 

Just like when we were younger. 

 

As my dream body ran away from the other boy, I distantly recalled I never liked playing with Riku when he and Sora played with their toy swords, preferring to wander the beach with Namine. 

 

Maybe I just didn’t like always taking second place.

 

In my head, I tried to get rid of that thought. I just didn’t like fighting like that. It seemed pointless. 

 

The dream shifted and I got the sense of time passing before I was in another room, with a few other figures. From my numerous visits Vanitas at Leon and Cloud’s house, I recognized their neighbor, Lea. There was a familiar voice behind me and I quickly turned. What was Riku’s previous doctor, Dr. Even, doing here?

 

Then I heard a female’s taunting voice, and though my dream self responded self confidently, every fiber of my real self tensed up. 

 

Do not underestimate this woman. 

 

Do not trust her. 

 

Run.

 

_ Run! _

 

But it was too late. My dream self was thrown back into the wall and I grunted in pain from the impact. The woman stalked towards me, confident that her prey wouldn’t,  _ couldn’t _ , run. I glanced over, somehow unsurprised to find Namine standing nearby, her hands covering her mouth. 

 

I held my hand out, a desperate attempt to defend myself. 

 

_ Nooo! _

 

I shot out of bed, the covers fluttering down to my hips. Gasping for breath, my head and heart were pounding. Strangely, so was my shoulder, right where that strange woman in my dream had thrown me into the wall. An ache that wouldn’t go away. 

 

Something was pushing in my head. A steady pounding that didn’t go away, even as my heart rate calmed. 

 

Memories. Something to do with memories. 

 

Maybe something to do with that movie Vani and I watched before bed? The main character had her memories wiped and replaced with something different. It turned her into a different person...

 

I let out a startled grunt as a sharp pain went through my head. Clutching my forehead, I swung my feet out of bed, steadying myself for a moment. Out of habit, I reached to the corner of my bed to grab at the shirt I had thrown there right before turning the lights out, taking a break from clutching my head to throw it on. Then I stood, shakily, but the pounding didn’t intensify. 

 

Memories. Something about... memories... Changing memories....

 

Other words echoed in my head. Fake, Replica, Shadow. Remnants of the dream? Maybe my brain just tried to combine my real life with the movie. There were some moments in my past where I did think I was just some sort of shade of my brother. 

 

Another sharp pain. 

 

I groaned, making my way towards the door. Maybe a cup of water would help. 

 

I slowly opened the door, trying to keep quiet. I could hear Sora’s snores from the hallway, echoed by another set of softer snores. I frowned, then looked towards the living room. 

 

A dim light from a lamp cast shadows over a lump on the air mattress, buried so far under the covers that only strands of their spiky back hair stood out. 

 

Right... duh... Vanitas stayed the night. That was the whole point of a sleepover. 

 

Of course, it’d be even more of a proper sleepover if Riku would stop being dumb and just let us sleep in the same room. 

 

I started down the hallway, making my way towards the kitchen. The headache was starting to lessen, replaced by a sort of fogginess. I stepped quietly into the kitchen, pouring myself a glass of water as quietly as I could. As I sipped it, I leaned against the counter, frowning. 

 

The fog wasn’t lifting exactly, but... I felt like there was something important that I was forgetting. 

 

A squeaking noise startled me and I turned towards it, unable to hold in a grin as Vanitas mumbled and shifted, seemingly trying to gather even more of the blankets around himself, like a Vani-burrito. 

 

A Vani-rito? A burri-tas? 

 

I shook my head. I must be out if it to start sounding like Sora. I finished drinking my water and sat the glass in the sink to wash in the morning. As I passed by Vanitas to go back to my room, he shifted again, this time to his back. His spiky hair was even more of a mess than usual, and the blankets still covered his face, like some sort of plushy mask. 

 

_ Mask... _

 

I frowned, as another sharp pain echoed through my head. 

 

A boy in a mask...

 

_ “Who cares if you came from someone else? Are you really gonna let that get in the way of being your own person?” _

 

Who... said that? It felt like it was Vanitas... but I know Vani’s never said something like that to me. 

 

And... what did he mean, ‘came from someone else’? 

 

Suddenly, the fog lifted. 

 

The castle, Namine, Larxene, Marluxia, Vexen, Axel, Sora... his companions... Riku. All of these feelings, memories flashed by my eyes too quick to really grasp, but slotting into place like they had always belonged there. Other memories slid by, too fast to even see really, but the feelings washed over me. A battle, the feeling of a dark shadow looming over me. And the deep knowledge that something terrible had happened. 

 

When I was finally able to blink my eyes open, it was to a view of the living room carpet. I swallowed around my dry throat, and I could feel the tears pricking at my eyes. 

 

What was... 

 

My dream! It wasn’t... It was all real. These feelings...and memories... they’re...

 

“Grey?”

 

I blinked, startled out of that train of thought. Glancing up, I found Vani rubbing his eyes, and despite all the strange new memories and emotions coursing through me, I couldn’t help but find the action ridiculously cute. My heart warmed with the absolute fondness and adoration I felt right then. 

 

It ended up being the breaking point. 

 

Tears began to stream from my eyes. I struggled to stand, and ended more or less crawling over to the air mattress. Vanitas, obviously confused but also extremely concerned, pulled me into his arms as soon as I was close enough, and I instantly buried my face in his shoulder. His arms wrapped around me, maybe not as tight as Sora or Riku would have, but perfect in it’s own way. 

 

“Shh....” Vanitas murmured and I realized that I was sobbing into his shirt. “Shh...” 

 

I hiccupped, trying to stop the sobbing at least. “Sorry...” I mumbled, “Just...”

 

“Bad dream?”

 

I shook my head, not really wanting to get into it at the moment. Sure, it all started as a bad dream but this was definitely different. 

 

His arms tightened and I felt his chin rest on top of my head. It was like everything fell into place. The memories still felt overwhelming, the emotions that came with them threatening to drown me. But... I also never felt as safe as I did right now. 

 

Somehow that revelation led to even more sobbing. 

 

“Sh...Shh...” Vanitas’s hand gently stroked down my back. “It’s okay.”

 

“I wasn’t real...” I choked out. I may have had a physical form, but I wasn’t... exactly real. Just a copy. 

 

“You’re real here.” Vanitas’s voice was soft and understanding. “I promise. You are real.” He continued to pat my back. 

 

I choked back another sob. “But I--” I couldn’t say more, instead focusing my efforts to try and regulate my breathing. 

 

I felt him press a kiss into my hair before running a hand through it. “Shh... It’ll be okay. Just a nightmare...”

 

“But it wasn’t!” I shouted, though my voice was muffled by his shirt. It wasn’t a nightmare. I mean, it kind of was, but also... very much not a nightmare. Not in the ‘it wasn’t real’ sense. This was very, very real. “You don’t understand! It wasn’t a dream, it was like...” I trailed off, realizing that what I was going to say would probably sound crazy. 

 

“Memories?” 

 

Vani’s voice was questioning, but also sounded sure of the answer. Like he was just finishing my sentence. 

 

I pulled away just enough to glance up at him, finding only understanding and empathy in his gaze. He got it. Somehow, he understood exactly what I was going through. I nodded, and he pulled me back into his arms. 

 

As he continued to stroke my hair and my back, I thought to another sleepover, months ago now, when Vanitas got sick. He had mentioned later that he had regained some memories...

 

“Vani... do... do you have memories like this too?” I whispered, my tears starting to lessen enough that I could speak clearly. 

 

“Yeah...” Vani replied without hesitation. “Yeah... that’s why... that night when I got sick...”

 

“You said that you had remembered some things that you had repressed,” I recalled. “So... you were remembering....”

 

“Keyblades, different worlds... the unversed...”

 

I frowned, “Unversed?”

 

“Yeah... that’s... complicated...” he trailed off, running another hand through my hair, though this time I think it was to comfort himself more than me. “Not sure how much you remember or were a part of...”

 

“I dunno...” It’s hard to say if all my memories returned or just some of them. Would I know if I was forgetting something? Sora didn’t even know his memories were leaving him till it was pointed out to him. “Castle Oblivion... and some kind of great battle.” I shook my head, “In some ways, all of that feels more real than the here and now.”

 

“Hey...” Vanitas whispered, pulling one of my arms and placing my hand on his chest. I frowned, feeling his heart thudding against his ribcage.

 

“Whenever I start to feel like none of this is real,” he continued, “I just remember this.”

 

“Hmm...” I glanced up at his face again, pressing my hand against his chest gently, and feeling his heart rate increase. “Your heart?”

 

“Yeah...” Vani offered my a grin, which I returned without thinking about it. Seeing Vani smile always did funny things to my own heart. “I didn’t have one before... at least... not a complete one...” What did that mean? I realized I would have to ask Vani more about his role in this past life. But later. Right now, I let his words wash over me, taking in the comfort they were meant to provide. 

 

“Whenever, I’m happy, or sad, or even angry, I can feel it so strong, like it’s about to escape.” He let out a small chuckle, “It was an odd feeling at first, especially after I remembered. But now... it’s comforting. It lets me know I’m my own person now, not just half of someone else.” 

 

I watched in amusement as his cheeks flushed, and his heart rate increased even more under my palm. 

 

“It beats especially hard whenever I think of you...”

 

I felt my cheeks heat up as all the blood rushed to my face, my own heart pounding to keep up. That... that was so cheesy and better than any love confession from any movie. I tried to laugh off how much those words affected me, but I couldn’t hold back from laying a kiss on his cheek. “It’s beating really hard now.”

 

Vani huffed, “Yeah well...” he unwound one of his arms, placing his hand on my chest. My heart seemed to beat double time, matching the rhythm I felt under my own hand. “So is yours!” He grinned, “You must be real then.”

 

“Must be...” I agreed, laying my head back down on Vanitas’s shoulder. I felt him give a small huff. 

 

“You are!”

 

“Yeah...” I agreed, “I can feel it beating too. Don’t really remember than from before...” I think I did have one.... But like everything else, it was just a fake heart. I’m not sure it was meant to feel things this strongly. “Even with the false memories, it was like an echo... but this...” Everything I felt for Vanitas. That was no echo or shade or some kind of replica of Riku’s feelings. It was so, so real. 

 

I felt Vanitas nod in agreement. “Yeah... exactly.” He pulled away, placing his lips gently over mine and oh... that was nice... 

 

He pulled away a little more, “Do you think you can go back to sleep?”

 

Probably... but... 

 

“Hmm...” I grinned a little, already pulling back the covers to join Vanitas under them, “I think I’ll just stay here.” I pulled Vanitas down, ignoring his protests. 

 

“But... Riku--”

 

“I’ll tell him to fuck off in the morning,” I interrupted, though it was kind of funny that he was a little scared of my brother. Riku wasn’t as scary as he pretended to be. 

 

There was only a few moments of awkward shifting, trying to figure out how close we could be without it being uncomfortable. Finally I just burrowed as close to his chest as I could get, intertwining our legs loosely. Vani pulled the covers back up, laying another kiss on my forehead before wrapping his arms around me. 

 

Again that feeling of safety washed over me, allowing me to drift back off into a peaceful slumber. 

 

\--

 

Unfortunately, that peace was shattered by a rather rude awakening in the form of Sora. 

 

“Get off!” I shouted, trying to shove him off. 

 

“No you don’t understand!” Sora laughed as he wiggled his way between me and Vanitas, “I have to be here to preserve your virtue.”

 

Inwardly I groaned, even as I responded to that ridiculous statement. Why did I ever have a crush on this dork?

 

I remembered the other life and another set of feelings. For Sora. Remembering the affection I held for Namine (which definitely explained my crush on her), and being so damned confused why I felt the same sort of affection whenever I looked at Sora in the halls of Castle Oblivion. 

 

Suddenly, Sora stepped on me, effectively snapping me out of those thoughts. Vani let out a yelp as well and swore under his breath at the brunet who was now whining at Riku. 

 

Crushes aside, I was glad that everything worked out for Riku though. I guess I kind of understood how deep his affection for Sora ran. It definitely wasn’t something I could ever compare too. 

 

A warmth encircled my wrist, and I glanced up into worried golden eyes, silently asking if I was alright. I offered a grin and a quick kiss on the cheek. Vani grinned back. 

 

Soon, both he and Sora were out of the house, on a mission to purchase bacon for breakfast. By the time they came back, Riku and I had managed to talk out most of the issues surrounding this... memory thing. 

 

“So... is it weird for you too?”

 

“Huh?” I glanced up at Vani who had taken a seat next to me on the couch, replacing the space Riku had left behind.

 

“Watching them argue over breakfast instead of... I dunno... fighting off heartless or something?”

 

“Hmm...” I thought on it, “I guess.... But... In my memories, I  _ was _ Riku... kinda. So... This is actually sort of familiar.” 

 

“Ahh...” Vanitas murmured, dragging me out of those thoughts. “So... in your memories... you and Sora--”

 

“Were not like that!” I elbowed him lightly in the ribs, hoping to clip that bit of jealousy in the bud. I knew how that felt and I didn’t want Vanitas to go through the same thing over something that didn’t matter. “You are my one and only boyfriend, got that?”

 

“Ow! Okay...” He grinned and kissed my forehead. “Good. I’d hate to have the competition.”

 

“Psh...” I rolled my eyes, “There’s no competition. You’re prettier...” 

 

“Hey!” Vanitas protested, leaning on me till we both fell over on the couch. He tried to glare, but it came out more as a pout, “I’m a guy... at least say I’m handsome...” 

 

“Yeah, yeah...” I agreed, running my hand through his hair, “You’re the most handsome.” 

 

His pout turned into a bright grin, the morning sun filtering through the curtains and lighting up his light amber eyes like drops of liquid gold. Silently, I couldn’t help but disagree with him on one thing. 

 

Vanitas might have been handsome, but his eyes were  _ beautiful _ . 

 

**\---6 Months Later, Week before Junior Year, Vulpes High School Aquatic Center ---**

 

“Do you think you can let go with one hand?” I asked, treading water best I could with Vanitas clinging to me. We were in the middle of the six foot end of the high school pool. 

 

Shakily, Vani took one hand off my bicep. He tried to mimic my movements, but his arm was a little jerky, so it was more like flailing. 

 

This...wasn’t working. Need to re-think...

 

“Easy, easy...” I tried wrapping an arm around his back, “Just relax, I got you. I won’t let go.” With gentle movements, I pulled us towards the shallower end so I could stand. “There... now, just relax and float a bit...”

 

“I don’t think I can float...” Vani muttered, his breathing shaky even as he tries to relax into my hold. Slowly, his legs drift up till he was flat on his back in the water, trusting me. “Pretty sure I’ll just sink...” 

 

“Everyone can float,” I laughed, “Even Sora and Riku, and they are as dense as rocks.” 

 

“Yeah well...” He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. As he did so, I felt a lot of the tension leave his body. “Promise you won’t let go?”

 

“Not without telling you first...” I promised. After a moment, he nodded, relaxing more and turning his head to stare up at the ceiling of the Aquatic Center.

 

I gently pulled him through the pool, letting him get used to the feeling of floating before we would move on to the actual swimming part. After a minute he closed his eyes, relaxing a bit more. I couldn’t help but be proud of how comfortable he was in the water after the incident last month... 

 

_ My mouth felt a little dry... _

 

_ I had seen Vanitas shirtless before, we had begun jogging together during the summer, so it was bound to happen, but this... Vanitas was like some kind of hero we read about in story books. His muscles glistened with sweat as he moved swiftly and gracefully, parrying and dodging every attack that came his way.  _

 

_ “C’mon Ven!” Terra shouted, distracting me from my oggling. “I thought you were stronger than that!” _

 

_ Right. Cheering! I’m meant to be cheering. “Go Vani!” _

 

_ I saw my boyfriend let out a small smirk in my direction, before neatly blocking another attack by his brother. The swords knocked together when Vanitas counterattacked.  _

 

_ Riku and Sora had uncovered their old play swords which had prompted this little tournament on the Paopu Island. First one to land three hits was the winner. Nearly everyone participated, though some, like Namine and Isa politely excused themselves, helping set up the picnic supplies and umbrellas. Xion followed them shortly after. She never really liked it when Sora and Riku practiced with their toy swords. Playing or not, she said it always gave her a bad feeling.  _

 

_ I was beaten fairly quickly by Aqua, though I wasn’t all that surprised. I hadn’t really been all that interested in playing swordsmen when we were younger. Not like Riku and Sora. I preferred to explore the play island with Namine.  _

 

_ Now though, I was kinda glad I was beaten early on, cause it just meant I could pay closer attention to Vani’s fights. He beat Roxas, though it was pretty close, and was now fighting Ven, who had narrowly defeated Terra.  _

 

_ Ven made another lunge, the tip of his sword hitting against the back of Van’s legs.  _

 

_ “That’s two to two!” Sora called out.  _

 

_ Vanitas quickly held his toy sword aloft, the other arm outstretched. Strangely enough, it was similar to how Riku and I both held a sword, while Sora and Roxas held theirs in a odd crouching position that wouldn’t be suited for anyone else. Ven was the oddest of all: a weird backhand grip.  _

 

_ It wasn’t until Terra jerked me out of the way that I realized the battle had moved over to where we were cheering near the poupou tree.  _

 

_ “C’mon Ven! You almost had him!” Aqua called out.  _

 

_ “Get him Vani!” I shouted back.  _

 

_ Ven lunged, and Vani dodged-- _

 

_ Or rather, he attempted to.  _

 

_ I wasn’t sure if Vani had lost his footing, or if Ven’s lunge had pushed him, but suddenly, the darker haired boy was disappearing over the edge of the island. Within seconds I heard a splash.  _

 

      “I grew up in a desert.... The closest body of water was a puddle...”

 

_ Shit! Vani couldn't-- _

 

_ I ran over to the edge of the island, searching the water for a head of dark hair. The water was deep enough on this side that he shouldn’t have hit his head, but if he panicked... _

 

_ Without thinking, I jumped in, hearing Riku shout my name as I doved. When I came up for air, I finally saw Vanitas next to me, struggling to keep his head above water as he flailed. Instantly, I wrapped an arm around him, helping him stay afloat while I used the other hand to try and swim us both back to the shoreline.  _

 

_ Thankfully, as soon as Vanitas realized I had ahold of him, he stopped panicking, instead digging his nails into my bicep in a grip that nearly hurt. I didn’t try to shake him off though, especially when I turned back and saw his eyes wide in fear.  _

 

_ The incident lasted a minute, maybe less, but it seemed to be the longest sixty seconds of my life till we were in shallow enough water that I could stand. I helped Vani back to the shore where he collapsed onto the sand, coughing up the water he had accidentally inhaled in his panic.  _

 

_ I patted his back, glad that he didn’t push me away.  _

 

_ I heard the others run in our direction, some jumping from the bridge connecting the two islands, others running through the shed. Vani seemed to have regained his breathing just as Ven and Sora reached us.  _

 

_ Soon, we were both wrapped in towels and deposited on the beach blankets near Isa and Namine. I ran a hand through Vani’s damp hair, marveling as the spikes stared to dry into their normal spikes. “So... so much for doggie paddling your way to shore...” _

 

_ Vani coughed and elbowed me lightly in the ribs. “Shut up...” he croaked out, but I saw a small smile.  _

 

His panic from earlier lingered though, and on our row back over to the main island, I noticed that he breathed heavier and flinched every time the boat rocked. That wouldn’t do, and I insisted that he take swim lessons as soon as we got back to Radiant Garden. 

 

“How are lessons going?” A bright voice startled me out of my thoughts. Vani nearly panicked in the water, straightening out till his feet touched the bottom and he stood up next to me. 

 

“Well... we were doing okay...”I muttered, but I couldn’t find myself getting too angry at the owner of the voice. 

 

Ariel, now a Senior, covered her mouth in a laugh as she climbed the steps to the diving board. She took a few jumps to warm up before launching herself into the air, neatly flipping once and then diving into the water. Just the barest of ripples appeared where she had entered. After a long moment she emerged next to us. Vani jumped back, not expecting the girl to be so quiet. “Sorry...” She said, flipping her long red hair out of her eyes. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

 

“Umm...” Vani crossed his arms, “It’s fine... I guess...”

 

“Ariel, this is Vanitas...my boyfriend...” I placed a hand gently on one of his crossed arms, which slowly let him relax. “Vani, this is Ariel. She’s the daughter of my swim coach.” 

 

“Nice to meet you!” Ariel held out her hand above the water line, which Vani shook after a moment. “I really am sorry for startling you. But you were really relaxed just a moment ago. Grey must be a good teacher!” 

 

I felt my cheeks heat up, “Not really... I tried to start him off trying to tread water in the deep end first. I should have started off with floating.”

 

“Everyone learns differently!” the redhead assured, “Some of the kids leap right in to the deep end, others I have to coax down the steps one at a time, and that's even when they have their floaties on.”

 

“Ariel teaches the toddler groups that come in on weekends,” I explained, Vani nodding in understanding. 

 

“Yep! They’re so cute!” Ariel grinned, turning back to me, “Just so you know, Daddy said that you can use the pool to continue lessons on Saturdays as long as you’re done before 8 am...”

 

“In the morning?” Vani groaned and I let out a small laugh. My boyfriend wasn’t exactly an early riser.

 

“I’ll make it worth your while...” I promised, then blushed when I realized how that sounded. “I mean...”

 

Ariel laughed, even as Vani’s face flushed as well. “Just don’t let Daddy catch you making out in the pool!” She teased, “He’ll probably make you do laps till you have to go back to school on Monday.” 

 

“Yeah yeah...” I muttered. 

 

Just outside the walls of the aquatic center a whistle echoed, and Ariel turned towards the noise. “Oh... Soccer practice must be starting...”

 

Did she... blush? 

 

Sure enough, when she turned back around, her cheeks were starting to match the color of her hair.

 

“Hey, um... I’m gonna go... check on something outside...” She stuttered, much to my surprise, before climbing out of the pool. “Can you... not tell Daddy that I’m going outside?” She grinned hopefully. 

 

“Depends...” I teased, “You gonna tell me why going outside is so important?”

 

“Um...well...” She bit her lip, a nervous habit, “There’s this guy... Eric... He is the captain of the soccer team and well...” She blushed again, “He’s kinda cute?”

 

“Just kinda?” I grinned. 

 

“Okay, like, super hot!” She looked back to the windows when the whistle blew again, “But you know how daddy is about... any sport that doesn’t involve water.”

 

I waved her concerns away, “Yeah, yeah, I get it... go ahead, I won’t tell him if I see him.”

 

“Yay! Thanks!” She grinned and waved back, “See you later! Nice to meet you, Vanitas!”

 

“Yeah! You too... I guess...” He waved. 

 

After she left, the door echoing behind her, I turned back to Vanitas. “So, want to try again? This time we can work on kicking...”

 

By the end of an hour, Vanitas could do an adequate backstroke as long as I helped him stay afloat. I figured that was good enough for now. We could slowly work our way up until he didn’t need me to support him. 

 

We climbed out of the pool and walked over to the men’s changing room. After showering the chlorine off, we quickly changed, shyly avoiding each other’s eyes. Though I really wanted to look, I also wasn’t quite that ready to do... _ that _ ...yet. 

 

Vani was still toweling his hair dry when I heard Coach walk over. 

 

Another reason to just get dressed quickly. 

 

“A word, Grey?” Coach asked, then turned towards his office, not waiting to see if I would follow. 

 

“Yeah,” I called back anyway, and quickly hung my towel to dry. “I’ll meet you outside in a sec, kay?”

 

Vanitas nodded and quickly put all of his own stuff in a bag to take home. 

 

I walked back to coach’s office, closing the door behind me to keep the humidity out. “Yes, Coach?”

 

Coach Triton wasn’t necessarily an imposing man, but he could be quite thunderous if the swim team made him angry. Or if someone hurt one of his daughters. And with seven of them, he was often scaring away one boy or another. 

 

Which was why Ariel was probably a little weary about letting her dad know about the soccer captain. 

 

“How did the swim lessons go?” 

 

I shook myself out of my thoughts and gave a grin, “Great. He’s still a little nervous and panicky, but I think by the end of the semester he’ll at least be able to save himself if anything like what happened at the beach should occur again.” I kind of hoped that he’d at least be comfortable enough to go swimming in the ocean. I wanted to show him all my favorite spots back at the Islands. 

 

“Hmm...” Coach nodded, “Ariel has a few paddleboards and goggles that she keeps for the younger kids. I’m sure she’d be willing to let you borrow them, if you think that will help.”

 

“Yeah, probably!” I nodded. 

 

“However, that does bring me back to my original question...” He turned to stare at me, “She said that she was going to practice diving in the pool about an hour ago, but I didn’t see her when I went to go check. Do you know where she ran off to?”

 

“Um...” I swallowed, I really didn’t like lying to coach. Not only was he really good at knowing when any of my teammates were lying, but it didn’t feel right. “She did practice diving for a bit, before coming over to talk to Vani and I. Then she left to go somewhere. I think she said she was meeting someone?”

 

“Hmm...” He leaned back in his chair, “Maybe a friend came for a visit and she had forgotten...”

 

“Heh, yeah, maybe...” I agreed, hoping he’d let me go.

 

After a moment, he seemed to decide that I really didn’t know anything else and waved me out. I sighed and hurried towards the door. 

 

As I entered the hallway and passed the women’s changing room, I began to hear raised voices. One sounded like Vani...and the other...

 

_ Mother?! _

 

I ran down the hall, the voices becoming clearer as I got closer. 

 

“I don’t think he’s gonna want to see you, ya’ old witch!” Vani shouted. 

 

“How dare you speak to me that way, brute!” Mother roared, sounding more like a dragon than a person, “I believe that I know what is good for my Repliku!”

 

“That’s not his name!”

 

“He should be grateful for the name he was given!” 

 

I quickly emerged in the atrium, nearly crashing into Vani. He held his arm out to steady me, still glaring at my mother. 

 

When I turned to look at her as well, I was a little taken back. She no longer seemed as...threatening, as she was when I was a child. Or even just a year ago when she showed up unannounced before lunch. 

 

Now she was just... there.

 

Her eyes glared at me for a moment before she broke in to a false smile, “Repliku, darling. You’re father and I miss you very much.”

 

“Sorry... don’t know anyone by that name.” Though Riku and I had never really informed our parents of my name change, I knew Merryweather had let it slip the last time she talked to my Mother through the phone (shouted more like, according to Fauna. Flora had to take the phone from their temperamental sister). Gently, I grabbed Vani’s hand and started to walk towards the door. After a moment, I heard Mother let out a angry hiss. 

 

“You will not turn your back to me.” 

 

The words were cold, not a shout, nor a whisper. Just a chilling coldness, and part of me wanted to obey, and turn around. I even paused for a second, but then Vani squeezed my hand, and I found the courage to continue walking. 

 

“Fine! Go home with your pet monster. We’ll see how long this foolish dalliance will last.” 

 

Well,  _ that _ was an insult I was not going to ignore. 

 

I let go of Vani’s hand for a moment, spinning on my heel and marching back up to her. I could see the smirk on her face. Afterall, she had gotten the reaction she wanted. 

 

But never again.

 

“This is gonna be the last time I talk to you,” I started, striding up to her till were were face to face. As I straightened up, I realized that I was taller than her, and still growing. Riku would probably tower over her. It didn’t make her any less intimidating necessarily, but it did make it seem easier to tell her off once and for all. 

 

“You do not call my boyfriend a monster,” I continued, ignoring her scoff and sneer at the word boyfriend. “He is a better man, a better person, than you or father will ever be.” 

 

“Insolent boy,” She hissed, rolling her eyes, “Young love will never last. You and your brother will learn that soon enough. I cannot believe you took after Riku in this way as well...I would have thought you could have at least been better than him in your... choice of courtship.” 

 

“That’s the other thing,” I said, lowering my voice to a whisper, my fist clenching at the veiled insult to not only Riku, but Sora and Vani as well. “Riku is the best brother I could ever have, and it’s a shame that you pitted us against each other for so long. Though, I guess I can see why you would. Together, we’re stronger. I am not a shadow of him, and he’s not broken just due to a heart defect. Either way, we don’t need you anymore. I don’t need you or anything you have to offer. I am done with you.” 

 

With that, I turned, ignoring her howls of indignation, and took Vani’s hand, leading us both out into the afternoon sunlight. 

 

I tried to walk calmly away from the Aquatic Center, away from her. It felt so much more final than anytime before this. I had gotten everything off my chest that I had wanted to say to her for years. 

 

“Feel better?” Vani’s voice was soft, but more in a comforting way than in an attempt to be quiet.

 

“Yeah,” I nodded, “My heart... feels lighter, ya know? Like... A big weight I didn’t know I had been carrying is gone.”

 

He huffed, “Yeah. I get that. Feels good, right?”

 

“The best.” 

 

He squeezed my hand, pulling me to a stop just as we were about to pass the front doors to the school. He hesitated for a minute, his cheeks reddening. “You know... it was almost about here that I saw you for the first time. And almost exactly a year ago.”

 

“Yeah?” I grinned, never expecting him to be a bit romantic, but he continued to surprise me. 

“What did you first think of me?”

 

“Er... nothing groundbreaking, really. Just thought you fought well.”

 

“Hmm...” I leaned down a bit to kiss his cheek, “That’s still high praise, coming from you.” I shifted a little so I could briefly capture his lips as well, feeling his grin even as I pulled away. 

 

“Anyway... I just wanted to say thank you,” he nodded, “I mean... just... Thank you. For everything. If I wasn’t for you, I may not have had the courage to walk away from Xehanort.”

 

“You would have found the courage...” I assured him. “Besides, I think it should be me thanking you. You gave me my new name... and I don’t think I could have said all that to my mother without your support.” 

 

HIs blush deepened, “Yeah...” He coughed a bit, “You know... the day I said that name... I think that’s the day I really kind of...” his blush intensified and I thought he might burst a blood vessel, “fell for you... I think that’s the right word. Or at least... when I started looking at you as more than a friend. Or when I realized it... I mean...” He trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck. 

 

“Yeah? Cause I think I started falling for you the minute you said my original name was dumb.” I chuckled a bit, feeling my own face heat at the admission, “Or, at least, I thought your eyes were the prettiest I had ever seen, and decided that the rest of you wasn’t so bad.”

 

He huffed, “What, these old things?” He rolled said eyes, and they shifted from shades of amber to gold as the light caught them.  _ Beautiful _ . 

 

“Yeah...” I really could get lost in those eyes... “I’m glad you moved here.”

 

“I am too...” He admitted, taking my other hand and pushing our lips together in a light kiss. After a moment, I disentangle my hand from his to cup his cheek, deepening the kiss. His free arm wrapped around my waist, holding me close. 

 

We may have been young, but I knew that I would always care about this boy, this man, for as long as I lived. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Subtitle is from "Feels like Home" from Brother Bear 2. Funny story, I actually had a different song entirely picked out for Grey... and I kind of hated it (it was from Hunchback of Notre Dame 2 and... yeah... The only kind of funny thing from that movie is the fact that Haley Joel Osment voices the kid character and sings and... yeah.. they made him sing for Sora in KHII? Cause there were warning signs in that movie...) Anyway, I was going through the disaster that is my work desk and throwing away some extra notes and realized that I had written down some song titles from Disney sequels during a lunch break at work and stumbled across this song again and realized it was perfect for Grey. I'm not a huge fan of Brother Bear 2 (loved the original), but this song is surprisingly good and worked for the aesthetic I was going for...
> 
> (Sorry if no one cares my reasoning behind subtitles, but I appreciate "behind the scenes" looks at fic, so someone else might enjoy that too...it's like bonus features on a dvd :D) 
> 
> Last chapter will be a return to my favorite sad ball of angry black haired kitten (though not so angry and sad anymore, yay!)


	10. Vanitas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter! And it's a return to my favorite bae! :D And it's (unsurprisingly) the longest.

_~And Every Single Dream~_

**\--Long Ago, Keyblade Graveyard--**

 

I was getting to the point where I really didn’t care about this damn [chi]-blade anymore.

 

“Sora! Heal!”

 

“Thanks, Kairi! Lea! Incoming!”

 

“Got it!”

 

I didn’t understand. The seven of them were somehow projecting their every move, and they _still_ seemed to have an edge over thirteen of us. Was it because they were working together more? Seven individuals coming together as a team, rather than a forced together team fighting like  thirteen individuals?

 

It was ridiculous. We weren’t even fighting to win, really, just make this stupid [chi]-blade. But... I gritted my teeth. Master Xehanort promised. If we created the [chi]-blade and summoned Kingdom Hearts, I could be whole. I wouldn’t even need that blonde weakling.

 

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my back and I turned, firing off a dark flame without looking. Kairi managed to block it without much trouble. I huffed and quickly attacked. She let out a high pitched scream when I knocked her back but recovered, and fired off several blizzard spells in succession.

 

 _Idiot_. I spent so much time in the damn cold that they held little effect on me.

 

“Drift!”

 

_Fuck!_

 

I suddenly found myself in the air, an easy target as Aqua came in for an attack. Fucking... she always figured out my weaknesses easiest.

 

Part of me wished that Xehanort at least taught me the counterspell for this instead of focusing on offensive magic. I didn’t even know a decent reflect spell. But now I was just left hanging, flipping around as Aqua and Kairi both hit me.

 

By the time the spell wore off, I was dizzy and fell to the ground heavily, unable to stand for a minute or two.

 

Dammit... I was out of potions as well, and didn’t know a damn heal spell to save my life. Literally.

 

_Fuck it all..._

 

Aqua and Kairi were quickly closing in, and I braced for another unrelenting attack.

 

There was a loud clang, and the attack I expected never came. I glanced up and found one my ‘allies’ blocking both girls’ keyblades with a dark shield. Aqua and Kairi both let out an annoyed sound as they were pushed back.

 

The ally’s hood was up, but when he turned, I caught sight of gold eyes and silver hair. Which, duh, now we all had golden eyes. At first I thought it might have been the annoying younger version of my Master. But...I looked closer. The face was all wrong, and the eyes didn’t hold that contempt I was used to from all the other versions of Xehanort.

 

Was it that the one who was the replica of the silver haired guardian?

 

Why would he protect me? I don’t remember doing him any favors... mostly just yelled at him.

 

Suddenly, the pain seemed to lessen and when I shifted my gaze upwards, there was one of those flowers that indicated a cure spell was just used. I looked around, but Aqua and Kairi were both distracted by other Organization members. Not that they would have healed me.

 

Then who...?

 

“You okay?”

 

The voice was quiet, even as his hand pulled me roughly to my feet.

 

“I’m fine!” I shouted, shrugging him off. I didn’t need any help. I just needed to finish this.

 

Which reminded me...

 

I looked around, finally spotting the brunet copycat. Why, of all the guardians, did I have to look like him?!

 

I had a mission though. Retrieve Ven’s heart. That spineless weakling was hiding in the heart of another weakling. Did he really think I wouldn’t find him there? I could remember spending near a decade in the same heart, only managing to accidentally become free again when that _idiot_ went and turned himself into a heartless.

 

He may have been a selfless idiot. But still an idiot.

 

Right now the dumbass was facing off against Xigbar and Demyx, and was nearly taken out by one of Xigbar’s shots.

 

I ran up behind him while he was distracted. Xigbar noticed that I was going in for the take down, and managed to distract Sora for a moment longer before dragging Demyx away. They instead engaged Riku nearby.

 

I leapt while Sora was still confused why his opponents left him, landing hard on his back and forcing him to the ground.

 

“What the... Hey!” He struggled against my hold while I forced him to turn around so I had access to his heart.

 

“This might hurt a bit...” I muttered already bringing my keyblade down.

 

He didn’t even have a second to block.

 

As soon as my blade entered his chest, a beam of light emerged and a heart rose in the air.

 

Of course, I really only had a second to observe it before there was a sudden, sharp pain in my back and I was sent flying across the desert. I had barely managed to turn around before Riku was on me, his expression radiating a rage I don’t think I could have replicated with an unversed.

 

Well... _shit_.

 

I hurriedly called upon my keyblade to block, barely making it in time. The shockwave injured my wrist anyway, and I grunted in shock. “What the fuck?!”

 

“What did you do to Sora?!” He shouted, raising his keyblade for another blow. I dodged this time, and brought my keyblade up for another block, my wrist twinging with a second shock wave.

 

“He was keeping something that belongs to me,” I muttered, trying to keep an eye out for that heart that went buzzing away. Hopefully its body was ready for a rude awakening.

 

“Sora doesn’t belong to anyone!” Riku’s moves were wild due to high emotions, but strong and landing more accurately than I cared to admit. I had to do something soon to distract him long enough to regroup.

 

“You can keep that loser,” I said, “I just needed that heart inside his.”

 

“So you would turn him into a heartless just for that!”

 

 _Really?!_ “Turn around idiot,” I ground out. “Unlike that _other_ idiot, some of us can pay attention when it comes to awakening a sleeping heart. We still need seven guardians of light. And in case you can’t count, you’re down one. I’m just rectifying that for you.”

 

“What?” Riku refused to turn around, not trusting that I might actually be telling the truth. Instead he locked blades with mine, pushing to try and get me to yield.

 

My wrist twinged again. Did it have to be my dominant hand?

 

“Riku?”

 

The voice was weak, but loud enough to catch my opponent’s attention. Riku turned around so fast, I was surprised he didn’t injure himself, then dash away as Sora began to show signs of movement.

 

 _Finally_.

 

I didn’t stick around to witness their heartfelt reunion. Had enough of that when I was trapped within that stupid heart. Instead I immediately began trying to search for that damn heart again. Did it go back to its body already? Xehanort had also tasked me with bringing Ven into the field, so at least I knew where he was...

 

I dodged around the fighting around me. Larxene was fighting Kairi, the blonde struggling to fight past the redhead’s strong defenses. At least the princess was smart enough not to use thunder magic, though I could see her refusal to use it was grating on Larxene’s nerves. The blonde always relied on her opponents making dumb mistakes, so it was nice to see her actually having to think for once.

 

Xigbar, Demyx, and another hooded figure whose features were too indistinct to make out were taking on Aqua. She dodged every move, but couldn’t pause long enough to attack. She would tire out eventually.

 

That redhead with the fire keyblade was taking on several other members, including Saix, though I noticed the blue haired man had an unusual ferocity to his own attacks.

 

I didn’t see the mouse anywhere, but I could hear him. I figured he might have been covering Riku and Sora while the silver haired guardian checked on his friend.

 

Whatever. There was only one guardian I needed to fight, if only he would wake the _fuck_ up.

 

There!

 

Ventus was right where I left him, on top of one of the higher rocky platforms, only his blonde hair visible. I hurried to climb up the rock face.

 

Suddenly, I saw a blur of dark colored movement out of the corner of my eye.

 

What was Xehanort doing?

 

I pulled myself onto the ledge, and began running towards Ventus.

 

Suddenly, Xehanort stepped in front of Ven, summoning his keyblade.

 

I couldn’t quite hear what was said, (damn helmet) but the intention was clear when Xehanort raised his keyblade, dark energy already sparking at the tip.

 

Blue eyes were barely open. Ventus couldn’t have retaliated if he wanted too.

 

This wasn’t part of the deal. I was supposed to fight Ventus.

 

It wasn’t until I was closer that I realized that Xehanort had no intention of _fighting_ my wayward half, but _destroying_ him.

 

He just needed the seven lights present; he didn’t say he needed them to be in fighting shape.

 

I ran faster. “Defend yourself, you _idiot_!”

 

Ventus blinked and glanced over at me, eyes widening in recognition.

 

Xehanort didn’t even pause in his downward blow.

 

I didn’t think. I just did what my half of a heart told me to do. Probably out of self preservation.

 

I pushed the blonde out of the way, taking the brunt of the blow myself.

 

It hurt.

 

_A lot._

 

The strike broke my already tenuous control over the Unversed, and they burst out of my shadow. Floods, hareraisers, and mandrakes emerged, then warped away, joining the freys of unversed, heartless, and nobodies below.

 

“You are getting in the way, Vanitas...”

 

The Master’s voice was cold, not that it phased me much anymore. He never spoke to me with any other tone.

 

“Yeah well, you made a promise...” I gasped once I could breathe again, though it was painful. Another flood burst forth. “I was supposed to fight him...” I could feel some of my ribs shift with every breath.

 

That wasn’t good, right?

 

“Your delay in retrieving Ventus’s heart from Sora meant that you have run out of time...”

 

“What are you--” Ventus shouted, then gasped as he looked up.

 

I glanced up as well, finding that the stairs were starting to fade, others falling, as the heart-shaped moon in the sky grew bigger and bigger.

 

“Which means I have no more use of either of you,” Xehanort raised his keyblade again.

 

I closed my eyes, waiting for the blow to make contact, sure that it would finish me off.

 

_Clang!_

 

I blinked my eyes open, finding that Ventus had not only managed to summon his keyblade this time around, but also raise it to defend himself.

 

And _me..._

 

Unfortunately, the newly awakened Ventus could only hold back Xehanort for so long.

 

“Xehanort!”

 

Another keyblade sailed through the air, striking Xehanort in the side and pushing him away from us. Riku and Sora both ran up, the brunet’s keyblade flashing back into his hand. The silver haired guardian ran past us, eyes on the older Master.

 

Sora, however, hesitated. He glanced at Ventus in shock for a second, “Roxas?”

 

I felt the blonde flinch at the name, “Uh no... I’m Ventus.” He sounded confused. Not that I blamed him. That whole nobody thing was weird...

 

“Oh!” Sora grinned. “Sorry... you... remind me of someone. Aqua’s been looking for you...”

 

“Aqua!” Ventus was on his feet. “Where is she?”

 

“Down that way!” Sora pointed somewhere I couldn’t see.

 

“Sora!” Riku called out.

 

“.... I have to go. Will you be okay?”

 

Ventus must have nodded for I heard Sora’s footsteps running. I couldn’t help but let out a shaky sigh. The blonde would run over to Aqua, and maybe together they could help Terra regain control over his body. And I would be left alone.

 

Again.

 

Fine. Whatever, I should be used to that.

 

I felt hands on my neck then and instinctively I tried to struggle, though my arms were sluggish and barely responded. Then I realized that the hands weren't squeezing or choking.

 

They were...looking for something?

 

“How do you get this damn thing off?” Ventus huffed, but I think he was talking to himself. “I can’t be sure if you’re breathing...”

 

“Still breathing idiot...” I mumbled. “Though if you want to change that, leaving the helmet on would be your best bet.” I was already starting to feel a little claustrophobic and light headed.

 

“You’re the idiot...” he muttered, “You really think I’m just gonna let you die?”

 

“Well...” I trailed off. Yes, I had been. That was Ventus’s whole goal in life when we last saw each other in person, as it were.

 

“You know, you were in my heart, which was in Sora’s heart. That means that my memories returned.” Ventus then let out a little sound of excitement as he found the hidden button that released the helmet’s visor. “That’s better...”

 

I took a deep breath of dusty but fresh air. It didn’t help the pain go away, but I wasn’t feeling as light headed. “And?”

 

“And?” Ventus blinked, blue eyes confused before sparking in recognition. “Oh... and part of that was that I could see your memories too. Of the first time you and I were separated.”

 

“Yeah... and?” What was his point?

 

“... Xehanort wasn’t a very good Master...” Ventus whispered, “To either of us...” He helped me sit up a bit, leaning against another ledge.

 

I rolled my eyes. Sympathy? That’s all it takes for him to change his mind and want to save me?

 

_Pathetic._

 

I coughed suddenly, unsurprised to find blood spraying out.

 

“Oh!” Ven panicked, “That’s not good.”

 

“No shit.” I leaned against the rock pillar. If it was over, maybe I didn’t have to fight anymore.

 

“AQUA!” Ven called out. I glanced over, watching as he shouted over the side. Evidently though the blue haired woman didn’t hear him as he let out a loud huff and rushed back over to me. “I need to get Aqua. My magic isn’t back yet so I can’t heal you. Can you heal yourself?”

 

“Don’t know how...” I muttered, really not sure what the point was. Wasn’t like Aqua would heal me.

 

“...Right...” Ven huffed, then took a few steps back, startled. “You wanna piece of me, too?”

 

I looked up, confused by the change in topic, then looked over to where another black robed figure stood.

 

I’m pretty sure it was the same one from earlier. When I felt another heal spell cast on me, my suspicions were confirmed.

 

Ven glanced up, seeing the healing flower as it faded. “Oh... you’re healing your friend?”

 

I scoffed. None of us were ‘ _friends_.’

 

But the robed figure tilted his head in thought before nodding. Ven hesitantly lowered his blade.

 

“Can...Can you look after him for a second while I help Aqua? He’s hurt pretty bad, and I think Aqua’s the only one who can cure him completely...”

 

Another nod, and Ven took off, only glancing back once before running for his friend.

 

I definitely wouldn’t see him again.

 

The robed figure took a seat next to me and lowered his hood. I had been right. Though the silver hair and golden eyes were reminiscent of my Master, the face and skin tone were all wrong. Definitely the Replica of Riku.

 

The gold eyes didn’t suit him.

 

“So... do you like injuring yourself?”

 

I blinked, realizing that the Replica was talking to me. “...shut up!” I grumbled, groaning when the effort to shout stole my breath again.

 

He huffed, and I thought I saw a small grin cross his features. “So... What would you do with a second chance?”

 

What? I looked over at the silver haired boy next to me, who was staring into the horizon. “Who said anything about a second chance?”

 

“Well...what did Xehanort promise you?”

 

“The chance to fight Ventus again.” _Obviously_.

 

“Why?”

 

“Because--” I stopped... why did I want to fight Ven...? It wasn’t to create the [chi]-blade. Xehanort already said that us fighting one on one wouldn’t work. “Because... what else am I supposed to do?”

 

“Hmm...” The replica murmured. “Okay, well... let’s say you did fight Ventus... and won. What would you do then?”

 

“I--” What would I do? After Ventus and I clashed....what would be left of us? I remember winning once, and I think I took control over our joined hearts... but what then? “I...” I trailed off... not sure

 

“Yeah...” the boy beside me sighed. “I get that...”

 

“How could you possibly--”

 

“I’m just a replica...” He muttered. “Made from someone else. In some ways, not all that different from you, and I also wanted to destroy the... other. But if I did...” He shrugged.

 

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. “Who cares if you came from someone else? Are you really gonna let that get in the way of being your own person?”

 

“Huh?” The replica blinked.

 

“Replica or whatever, you’re obviously not Riku...” I grumbled. “So why do you need a second chance at all? You can do whatever you want right now!”

 

“Oh... yeah... I suppose so...” He then let out a groan, “Then this whole Xehanort thing has been pretty dumb...”

 

“Yep...” I agreed. “I suppose that if I did get a second chance, I’d really just want to mess things up for Xehanort... or punch him in the face. Either works.”

 

The replica let out a startled laugh and after a moment, I heard myself joining in, even as the movement jostled my aching body.

 

We sat in silence for a moment longer, watching the stars on the horizon as they faded and fell. _Something_ was happening, though I wasn’t sure if it was what Xehanort had planned or not. The heart shaped moon above us grew in size, while the fighting continued around us.

 

Soon, the world we were on felt like it was falling apart as well, fading to join the others.

 

I suppose someone had won, but I found myself not really caring who.

 

I kind of wished Ventus had come back before this ended.

 

Before a bright light overtook us completely, I felt a warm hand grasp mine, and I glanced over at the replica.

 

His mouth moved, forming words, but I couldn’t quite hear them.

 

Then... there was nothing at all.

 

**\---??? Years Later, Radiant Garden Planetarium---**

 

“Hey, Van, look.”

 

I glanced away from the telescope I was fiddling with to follow where Jim was pointing. On the balcony above us, Grey was leading a group of toddlers on a tour of the planetarium. As he led them across the balcony to observe Jim and I, as well as the other interns working, the toddlers followed him in a line.

 

“It’s like a mama duck and her ducklings,” Jim chuckled. “Papa Grey and the grey-lings?”

 

“Shut it, Hawkins!” Grey called down. The toddlers all giggled, some of them quacking with enthusiasm, much to Jim’s amusement.

 

I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle as well. Grey turned his glare at me, but I could see the smile threatening to break out.

 

“I like the term Grey-lings...” I said, “Do you think Cap would let you change the name of the kids camp to from Starlings to Grey-lings?”

 

Grey rolled his eyes, and started to usher his toddlers out of the area. As soon as all the toddlers had their backs turned, he quickly flipped us both off with a grin and continued the tour.

 

“Oh, I am in so much trouble after work...” I chuckled.

 

“I thought he liked working with the kids,” Jim muttered as we both went back to work.

 

“Kids, yes.” Grinning, I again started fiddling with the digital telescope while Jim tried to adjust the computer software. “Toddlers... not so much.” I shrugged. “I think it’s more they are a little... excited because Christmas.”

 

“Hmm... true...” Jim laughed, “Hey, go back a bit...”

 

Frowning, I turned the dial back and Jim let out a whoop. “It’s working!”

 

I leaned back in the chair to look at the screen. We were trying to develop a program that would let visitors to the planetarium experience stargazing even on cloudy nights, mostly for the school programs.

 

“We should probably check to make sure the rest of the constellations work before celebrating...” I said, going back to fiddling with the telescope.

 

“Yeah...” Jim sighed, visibly deflating.

 

I understood that feeling. We had both been pulled in last minute for the Planetarium’s holiday event so the intern projects could be put “on display.” I didn’t mind so much because Grey got called in as well by the Education director to give tours to the young ones, but Jim was excited to head back to his mother’s bed and breakfast for the holidays.

 

“Do you think you’ll stay at the inn even after Christmas?” I asked, as Jim wrote down a few notes. “Try living with your mom again?”

 

My friend sighed and shrugged. “I dunno. She wasn’t exactly...eager... to see me leave, but...” He let out another sigh, “I just don’t know if I really want to go back there either.” He huffed, “I definitely know the local cops don’t want to see me back permanently.”

 

“Yeah... I guess I understand that.”

 

Jim had come from some small town in the middle of nowhere, much like me when I had arrived in Radiant Garden over a year ago. Due to several run ins with the law, a judge either suggested or ordered Jim to leave the county till ‘he could get his act together.’

 

“Is your uncle gonna go with you to your Mom’s?”

 

“Fuck, no...” Jim huffed.

 

“Mr. Hawkins.”

 

We both flinched and glanced back where the executive director, Captain Amelia Smollett, had snuck up on us without either of us hearing. She was kind of scary like that.

 

“Sorry, Ma’am,” Jim muttered looking back down at his work. After she walked down to the next pair of interns he shared a grin with me. “Uncle John’s gonna probably get drunk with the rest of the crew.”

 

“I suppose that seems more like him.” I had only met Jim’s uncle once. And once was enough. Cloud was certain the man, John Silver, had some sort of ties to a gang of criminals that sold pirated computer software and ran the operation out of the restaurant Jim’s uncle owned, but the police didn’t have enough evidence to charge anyone.

 

I was pretty certain the man only liked me because a) I was the first person to befriend Jim when he started school at Vulpes High this past August (Grey was the second), and b) I didn’t ask where Jim got all the cool software on his computer (some of which we were using for our project).

 

“What about you?” Jim asked.

 

“Hmm...” I thought on it, “Well... Grey and I are going over to a Christmas party tonight at Eraqus’s house with everyone.”

 

“That’s your foster dad, right?”

 

“Eh... sorta?” I didn’t really call Eraqus or Leon my foster dad, though I did call Eraqus ‘Grandad’ on occasion, at first with the intention of it being more of an insult, but I think it made him happy instead, so the nickname stuck. “Kinda? It’s... complicated.”

 

“What about your Grandfather?”

 

I flinched at the name. We hadn’t heard from Xehanort in a year. The only reason Jim knew about him was because he had asked before why I lived with in two separate houses. “I dunno. Don’t really care either.”

 

“Yeah... I get that.” Jim turned back to the computer.

 

I sighed. The conversation had turned a lot sadder than either of us had intended. “So... how much you wanna bet Dr. Doppler chickens out asking Captain Amelia to marry him again?“

 

Jim let out a startled laugh. “I ain’t taking that bet. I think by now it’ll be Cap asking him first.”

 

“Hmm... true...”

 

The mood considerably lightened, we both returned to working till the event was over, managing to get most of the constellations programmed properly.

 

Dr. Doppler checked over our work before letting us go for the day.

 

“Doctor...” Cap called out.

 

Doppler stumbled over a computer cord in shock, fumbling something in his hands before quickly hiding it in his pocket. “Ahh, darl--er... Captain!”

 

Jim and I both covered our mouths to hide our laughter.

 

“Hmm... Come to my office, there’s something I’d like to talk with you about...”

 

“Ah yes, coming!” Doppler hurried up the stairs.

 

Jim and I could no longer contain our laughter and both burst out in giggles.

 

“What’s so funny?” Another voice asked, footsteps entering the intern workroom.

 

I turned and grinned at the voice, giving Grey a quick kiss on the cheek as soon as he was close enough. We were growing more comfortable showing more affection in public, and Jim hung out with us enough that he was used to it. “Nothing. Just Dr. Doppler...”

 

Grey grinned and moved some of the hair that had fallen out of his ponytail out of his eyes. “Just don’t let Cap hear you laughing. She might not let you guys come back...”

 

“Yeah, yeah...” Jim and I answered.

 

Together we exited the Planetarium. Instead of taking the train, we walked with Jim to the bus station.

 

“We’ll see you back at school, right?” Grey asked, waving as Jim got ready to get on his bus.

 

“Yeah! Looking forward to it!” Jim grinned and waved as well.

 

We watched the bus as it left the station, then decided to walk home, Eraqus’s studio wasn’t far from the station.

 

“So... did you have to agree with Jim about the ‘Grey-lings’ thing?”

 

I laughed, knowing that Grey wasn’t that upset. “C’mon, it was kind of cute. The toddlers look up to you...”

 

“Yeah...” He let out a sigh, “I just wished they’d look up to me enough to listen about not screaming in the atrium.”

 

“Ahh...” I chuckled, “Had one of those today?”

 

“A few,” he shrugged, “Most were good enough, and Moana was helping out with the older ones.”

 

“Hmm...” I felt the grin overtake my face as I thought back to Grey and the children’s tours he led on weekends at the planetarium while I was working. He was really, really cute when the kids were hanging on to him.

 

“You know... Riku and Sora have to leave after the party to go to some kind of other Christmas party with Riku’s classmates. They’ll be out pretty late.”

 

I glanced over. Grey’s voice was quiet and unusually coy. “Yeah? But I was supposed to sleep over...” I had been looking forward to it, and Riku was usually a hardass about having to be home when I slept over. Not like Grey and I have ever _done_ anything. But it wasn’t like we had a chance to either.

 

Either Sora or Riku was always home, and, despite Lea and Roxas’s apparent lack of inhibitions, _I_ didn’t feel comfortable doing anything in a room I shared. So that ruled out both of our apartments.

 

“Yeah. They know...” Grey’s voice was still coy and now it sounded like he was almost annoyed I wasn’t catching on to something

 

I caught his eye. “But then...”

 

“If we leave Eraqus’s at the same time as they do, we should have the apartment to ourselves for at least a few hours...” He stopped and poked at my forehead, teasing, “Is that clear enough? Or do I need to use simpler words?”

 

I blushed, finally catching on. “Shut up, I get it.” But... did I though? Maybe he didn’t mean what I thought he meant?? Maybe my thoughts went there, but he was thinking of something totally--

 

“I can see you overthinking this,” Grey sighed and wrapped an arm around me, practically sinking into my shoulder. “You, me, and at least some sort of making out... Maybe naked. I’d like to get off with you in some fashion. We’ll see where we go from there... is that okay?” He kissed my cheek and then looked at my eyes. I could see that even though I may have been overthinking it, Grey was worried he overstepped.

 

I felt my cheeks heat up some more, but I nodded. I wanted that too. “Yeah... though... now I’m not sure if I can go to the Christmas party with a straight face.” Or without a hard on...

 

Grey huffed out a laugh into my shoulder, then leaned up to whisper, “Just think of your brother and Terra mak--”

 

“Okay, that’s enough! Yuck yuck yuck!!” I pushed him away and stuck out my tongue “You’re horrible, you know that?”

 

Grey chuckled and took my hand, resuming our walk. “Yeah, but you love me.”

 

My free hand reached into the pocket of my hoodie, brushing against the small package I had hidden in there. I blushed again, but this time for a different reason. “Yeah... I guess I do.”

 

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him grin and push his hair back again. He’d have to redo the ponytail before we got to the party. “I love you, too.”

 

I squeezed his hand in response.

 

We finished our walk in companionable silence. I used my keys to open the studio door, then we headed up the steps where we could already hear holiday music blaring, probably courtesy of Sora.

 

“Van!” Ven shouted, grabbing my arm as soon as we walked in. “Hey, can I...?”

 

Grey squeezed my hand, then let go, wandering off to see if he could help his brother in the kitchen. I followed Ven back into the room he and I used to share before he started to move his stuff in with Terra. I was a little sad to see his side of the room starting to empty out again, but at least I knew this time wouldn’t be a permanent separation.

 

“Hey,” Ven asked quietly, “You got the...”

 

“Of course,” I swung my backpack around to lay it on the bed. Opening it up, I pulled out the treasures I had been carrying for more than a year.

 

All the keychains Ven and I had ever found in the keyblade graveyard.

 

“Great!” Ven reached into a bag he had hidden under his old bed, pulling out small empty boxes and lots of ribbon. “I couldn’t quite ask Sora without spilling what we were doing, so he promised to act surprised.” He pulled out a handwritten list.

 

I rolled my eyes, but figured that would be the situation. Some of the keychains had been difficult to figure out who they belonged with, and Sora, kind of ironically, had the best memory of these things. Together, we matched up the described keychain with one of our friends, then packaged them up in the boxes. I neatly wrote everyone’s names on the boxes before we tied the ribbon on.

 

“What about Terra and Aqua?” I asked while printing Riku’s name on a box. Some boxes, notably Sora’s had a few more keychains than others. Ven assured me that it wouldn’t matter to those receiving them.

 

“They already got theirs, and we never found Stormfall or Ends of the Earth...” Ven explained, “They were okay with that.”

 

“Hmm...okay...” I nodded.

 

“And... Grey?”

 

Again, I reached into the pocket of my hoodie, pulling out the small box tied with a silver bow. “I already got that.” I stroked my finger over the edge of the box briefly before hiding it back in my pocket.

 

Ven’s grin was soft, “I know it’s what she would have wanted...”

 

I gave a small grin in return and nodded. Quickly, I printed off the last name as Ven tied the last bow.

 

“Perfect!” Ven exclaimed before we packaged them all back into the bag Ven had stored the wrapping supplies in. “We’ll give them out after dinner, before Sora and Riku leave...” He then turned back to me with a grin that I didn’t quite like. “Speaking of though, I heard from Sora that you and Grey will have the apartment to yourselves for a bit tonight. And that Riku lifted the restriction of you sleeping in the living room.”

 

I blushed, “Yeah, so?”

 

Ven chuckled, “Soooo... do you have any questions from that talk we had a few months ago.”

 

My blush deepend, “Shut up.”

 

“Aww... come on, you don’t need any tips?”

 

“Definitely not!” I exclaimed, trying to move around him to get to the door.

 

“You know you can always ask!!”

 

“Not happening!!” I called back as I swung the door open.

 

Most days I appreciated having my brother back. But not right now when I couldn’t get the blush to go away.

 

Grey was helping his brother with dinner, so I went and sat next to Xion instead. She gave me a curious glance, chuckling a little at my still red cheeks before returning to the game she was playing with Aqua and Namine.

 

I was eventually dragged into the game as well, some kind of variation on the command board game Aqua used to play with Terra and Ven. I was doing well for a while before I landed on one of the spaces Aqua owned. Grumbling I handed over all my game currency and even had to sell a space to make up for it. I ended up losing, but had fun anyway.

 

Riku and Grey finished up their portion of dinner soon afterwards, and we all sat around a table that wasn’t quite big enough for over fifteen people, but we made it work. Before we started eating, Eraqus raised his glass.

 

“When I first regained my memories, many years ago now, I had not imagined that friends and allies would one day be reunited as they are now. Nor had I imagined that new friends would be added to our number. I am glad that, for whatever reason, these second chances have been granted to us. A second chance for us all to live and love and grow,” He raised his glass and we all followed suit.

 

“To new friends, and second chances!”

 

We echoed the sentiment before diving into the food. Every family had made a different dish. Ven and I had contributed to the rice side dish (which I cooked and Ven just stirred when I told him too). Riku and Grey had prepared the main meat dish, while Aqua had prepared a vegetarian main course as well. Namine, Xion, and Kairi created a sweet potato dish that had been passed down by their grandmother. Neither Sora nor Roxas could cook, and instead brought in the cookies we had for dessert. Cloud and Leon had brought the appetizers we had been snacking on earlier. Lea and Isa brought alcohol, and plenty of it, though the minors were regulated to just one glass under Eraqus’s stern eye.

 

It was different from any Christmas Eve I had celebrated before, even last year when everything with Grandfather was still uncertain.

 

And before that...

 

Well... I didn’t that much experience with Christmas anything, but I knew I would remember this one for years.

 

After dinner Ven and I shared a nod and I ran back to the room and grabbed the bag we had packed earlier with everyone’s presents.

 

“Van and I used to find something special when we lived out in the Badlands,” Ven said as he ushered everyone back into the living room. “Since everyone remembers now, we thought you’d like to have these back...”

 

Most looked confused, though Sora couldn’t quite keep the ruse up, and I hurried to hand him his own box before he gave it all away.

 

Ven passed out a few as well. Leon and Cloud got ones that Sora wanted them to have, while Lea and Isa kind of shared a box. Xion took her box with a smile and Namine looked a little too knowing, but then became confused when she got her own box. I passed the last to Eraqus, who took it with a bemused frown.

 

“Is this...?” Riku spoke up first, holding up a keychain that looked like a bit heart with a cross running through it. The heartless symbol, I remembered. I had thought it was a bit odd of a keychain for Riku but Ven assured me that the older silver haired boy would appreciate it. Next to him, Kairi held a small yellow paopu fruit keychain to her chest with a grin on her face, while her cousin Namine was looking at a simple yellow star charm in shock.

 

“Our keychains!” Sora exclaimed, unable to hold it in any longer.

 

I noticed Grey watching everyone else open their boxes, a resigned frown on his face. I let out a sigh.

 

Ven had asked Sora about it, and Sora had tried to ask Riku without giving away our plan. Riku said that back then, Grey was using a replica of Soul Eater, which didn’t have a keychain. Sora thought that maybe he’d like to open the keychain for Way to the Dawn, but I didn’t think that’d be a good idea. It would just be another castoff of Riku’s... So...

 

Grey didn’t have one to open.

 

I heard Sora exclaim loudly over the small keychain with the three attached circles, the last one I had found before leaving the Badlands. Grey’s frown went a little deeper and I walked over, sitting next to him and taking his hand.

 

“I’m sorry...” I murmured. “We didn’t mean--”

 

“No...” Grey shook his head, “It’s great. Everyone is reunited with their keyblades in a way.”

 

“Yeah...” I squeezed his hand. “Though...I have something for you to open.”

 

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the box I had put there earlier. It was a little smaller than the others, and tied with a different bow. Suddenly my hands felt a little sweaty and I fumbled with it for a bit, feeling the blood rush to my face.

 

Maybe I shouldn’t have made fun of Dr. Doppler earlier.

 

“Here!” I whispered loudly, pushing the box into his bemused hands. “It’s not... I mean... well.. Just open it!”

 

“Okay...” Grey said, confused but his eyes showed a little amusement.

 

I watched in trepidation as he untied the bow and opened the box. His eyes went wide once he realized what it was.

 

“Vani... this is...”

 

“Yeah...” I reached over and pulled Mom’s ring out of the box, now attached to a strong, but thin golden chain. “It’s not... I mean, it’s definitely not a proposal or anything. But... It’s more like a promise?” I hesitated for a moment till he nodded, then reached around, clasping the necklace around his neck.

 

The ring settled nicely against his clavicle, the small diamond shimmering in the dim light. It wouldn’t be that noticeable in the clothes Grey usually wore to school.

 

“A promise? But... I--Why?” Grey reached up to fiddle with the ring, but he didn’t take it off. “This is your Mom’s...”

 

“Yeah...” I felt my face heat up, “I just... it means a lot to me, and so do you... It’s just... a promise.” I trailed off, not sure exactly how to explain it without stuttering over every word. There was just something in my heart that told me to give the ring to Grey. Something that was only settled once I saw it on the chain around his neck. “Didn’t think you’d wear it as a ring, so Ven suggested the necklace.”

 

“Ven... agreed?”

 

“Of course, I talked it over with him first,” I motioned over to where my brother and Terra were on the opposite couch, hands interlaced. I could see the gold band on Terra’s finger catching the light. “Ven gave Terra our dad’s a while ago.”

 

“Oh...” Grey fiddled with the ring a bit more before letting it settle. “Thank you. I promise, too. I’ll take care of it.”

 

I grinned, kissing him briefly on the cheek. Before I could pull away, he cupped a hand around my neck to pull me back in for a kiss on the lips.

 

It was nice, but quick. When we broke away, I quickly glanced around, worried that someone noticed, would disapprove. But everyone seemed to be looking at their keychains. The ones that did notice, Ven and Eraqus, only gave a small grin before returning their attention to the others.

 

I let out a small sigh and squeezed Grey’s hand, observing the others. Sora was currently telling everyone where each of his keychains was from, excitedly describing every single world while Roxas and Ven recounted which of them they had visited.

 

“Did you ever visit any worlds?”

 

“Hmm?” I looked over at Grey.

 

“When... back then...” he shrugged. “I can only clearly remember the inside of the Castle Oblivion passageways.”

 

“Um...Yeah... I guess...” I squeezed his hands, speaking quietly. “Mostly I went to the same ones Terra, Aqua and Ven went to. That was my job... to spread the unversed.”

 

“The creatures that were your emotions, right?” Grey’s voice was also quiet.

 

“Yeah...” I shrugged, “I didn’t get to see much of the worlds though.” Just bits and pieces, a fountain, a field of flowers... a strange spaceship in the middle of the space between the stars.

 

Another memory went through me though, warped and hazy. Fighting... Sora? In a world with... monsters? Actual monsters?

 

As soon as the memory appeared, it vanished back behind the door in my head I tried to keep locked shut. I shook my head.

 

That memory must have been from after the first battle in the keyblade graveyard. After Xehanort forced part of his heart inside me.

 

Those memories were always a little hazier than the others.

 

“Are you alright, Vanitas?”

 

I glanced up at the concerned face of Eraqus, still holding his own Master’s Keeper keychain. “Yeah... just... a memory.”

 

Eraqus frowned, “Are you sure?”

 

“I’m fine, Grandad,” I huffed.

 

The older man let out a huff of his own and ruffled my hair. “Don’t push the memories to come.”

 

“I’m not...” I stated, though it probably came out as more of a whine. Eraqus and I already had several quiet conversations about my memories, about why there still seems to be holes in mine. He thought it might have been something in my heart holding them back till I was ready for them. It was frustrating, but at the same time...

 

... I wasn’t exactly in a hurry to remember.

 

“This was an awesome gift! Thanks, Ven!” Roxas exclaimed, holding up his keychains, Xion nearby with her own near identical copies of the same keychains. Lea was grinning over his.

 

“You’re welcome!” Ven said excitedly, “But you all really should thank Vanitas! He’s the one who kept them safe all these years!”

 

I felt my face heat up when everybody turned their smiling faces towards me, and I rubbed the back of my neck in embarrassment. “It wasn’t like I did anything important.”

 

“You’re wrong...”

 

I looked up at Sora, who raised his apparent favorite keychain, the three interconnected silver spheres.

 

“I never thought I’d see this again,” he grinned, “To me, it’s like you brought an old friend home.” You found them and protected them, and then helped them make their way back to us. It may not have seemed important at the time, but it’s really important to us...” He held out his hand, which I hesitantly took, and then he pulled me off the couch and into his arms. “So thank you!”

 

I tensed up, more startled than anything, but then I relaxed in his grip and wrapped my own arms around him.

 

After all this time, I still wasn’t quite used to being thanked, or to being accepted by any of them besides Grey.

 

“Thanks, Vanitas!”

 

Other voices chimed in and I felt more hands squeezing my shoulder or ruffling my hair.

 

It was...nice.

 

After another long moment, the hug ended and I found myself surrounded by Sora and his friends.

 

Though... I supposed they were my friends too.

 

I tried to grin and hide the tears that threatened to stream down my cheeks. “You’re welcome...”

 

The party started to break up after that, everyone headed their separate ways. I ran back to my room to pick up my bag and the duffel I had packed earlier to head to Grey’s, then waved bye to Eraqus and the others. Grey took my hand as soon as we left the apartment.

 

We followed Sora and Riku till we were nearly back at the apartment. Then the two older boys stopped in their tracks and turned, Riku giving us both a hard look.

 

“Just...” Riku sighed, his face reddening, “Just... inflate the air mattress so I can at least pretend that there's no underage shenanigans going on.”

 

“Really Riku... _Shenanigans_?” Sora raised an eyebrow, chuckling when his boyfriend groaned and pinched his side.

 

“Shut up... they know what I mean.”

 

“Can _we_ do shenanigans later??” Sora continued, now full on laughing when Riku just sighed and wrapped an arm around his waist, half dragging him down the road. “Bye guys! Don’t do anything we wouldn’t do!!”

 

Once they were out of earshot Grey let out a sigh, “I’m not sure if that leaves us with no options or with so many options we would be overwhelmed?”

 

“I don’t want to know the answer to that...” I shuddered at the thought, then grabbed Grey’s hand to pull him inside, “Come on, either way, I wanna get out of the cold.”

 

“Kay...”

 

Together, we went up the stairs to 313.

 

After I dropped off my duffle bag in Grey’s room, I went back out to the living room where Grey was setting up a movie for us to watch. I could hear the microwave running in the kitchen. Investigating, I found two packets of hot chocolate and marshmallows waiting for the mugs to warm up.

 

“Thought it was a little too cold for ice cream,” Grey murmured, coming up behind me and started to wrap his arms around my waist.

 

Against what my head and heart wanted, my body tensed up. I turned, just catching Grey’s frown as he backed away, instead going to the TV to finish setting up the movie.

 

I sighed quietly. The microwave beeped and I removed the mugs and poured in the hot chocolate mix and marshmallows. I didn’t mean to tense up. But Grey’s words from earlier ran through my head and I just... got nervous.

 

What if I messed up?

 

...maybe I should have asked Ven for advice...

 

I stirred the two drinks then brought them back over to Grey, setting them both on the end table. I sat on the couch, pulling the blanket off the back of the couch and opening my arms in question.

 

After only a moment of hesitation, Grey entered my arms and curled up against my chest. I wrapped the blanket around him and held on, burying my face in his hair and taking a deep calming breath.

 

“Did I... Did I ruin it?” Grey’s voice was quiet and hesitant.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Was I... too pushy earlier?” Grey rubbed his thumb along my bicep absently, and I did the same to his shoulder. “When I told you about having the apartment to ourselves. I didn’t mean to push you if you're not ready for that...”

 

“No...” I hurried to assure him, “No... you didn’t! I’m just...” I felt my cheeks heat up and I was glad that he wasn’t looking right at me. “I’m just nervous... that I’ll mess up or something...”

 

Grey’s thumb stopped its minstartions and his weight seemed to settle more into my chest. “Then... We’ll mess up together...” He shifted his head so he could look into my eyes. There was sparkle near his chest as the diamond in the ring caught the light. My heart did that funny flip thing I was now used to whenever I looked at Grey.

 

After a moment, I nodded. “Yeah...”

 

He grinned, leaning up just enough to catch my lips in a soft kiss. I returned the kiss, pressing against him and lifting one of my hands to cup his cheek.

 

Suddenly, between one breath and the next, our kisses became deeper and longer, his hands pulling me till we were both lying down on the couch, movie long forgotten. His fingers made their way into my hair, while my own carded through silver strands, easily undoing the hair tie and letting his bangs fall back into his eyes. He let out a huff, breaking away just enough to start trailing kisses down my jaw and neck.

 

“Ah... Grey!” I gasped out when he nipped at a particularly sensitive spot. We found out during one make out session or another that my jawline was particularly responsive. I distractedly wondered if that was because of that damn helmet I had worn near constantly in my past life. Any touch was pretty intense (which made shaving a chore).

 

“Hmm... yeah?” He nipped at that spot again and this time my hips bucked against his own and we both let out startled gasps. This was all still pretty familiar, but then he paused for a moment to catch my gaze and whispered, “Bedroom?”

 

I barely hesitated, just enough to process what he had said before nodding. “Yeah. Okay.”

 

He grinned and clambered off of me, pulling me to my own feet. I only paused to look back at the mugs. “Our hot chocolate.”

 

He let out a laugh, “We’ll heat them back up later. Come on!”

 

With that, he led me back to his room, and closed the door behind us.

 

 ---   
  


_Dust and dirt and sand. The landscape a mixture of reds and browns, the dust obscuring the sky, turning it a dull grey color._

 

_I always hated it when a dust storm kicked up. Meant I couldn’t leave the house..._

 

_I decided to risk it though._

 

_The walk to the graveyard didn’t seem to take as long, though there was a strange film over everything. It wasn’t until I got there I realized that, despite the wind kicking the dust and dirt up everywhere, I didn’t have to squint or shield my eyes against it. Shakily, I held a hand up to my face._

 

_And met the smooth glass of the helmet._

 

_Part of me panicked. I wasn’t back in that world! Why was the helmet here?!_

 

_Then the world...shifted. The headstones elongated and narrowed, till they became rows of keys standing in the dusty earth. The desert around me growing hotter._

 

_I felt a shift within me as well... the gnawing anger that was usually trapped within, and soothed by the warmth of friends and family, suddenly burst to the forefront of my mind. Unversed began popping out of my shadow left and right, joining a fray of heartless and nobodies._

 

_From there, the images shifted faster. Standing above the boy who looked like me. Taking back the heart he had hidden..._

 

_A strike sending me across the desert. Riku standing above me, a look of pure rage on his face._

 

_Finally getting to Ven and... That idiot! Can’t even defend himself._

 

_Then...Ven was gone... to get Aqua, I think... And..._

 

_Grey?_

 

_Then a white light coming towards us. Looking back at Grey... knowing that he said something, but not able to hear it._

 

_Ven... Where was Ven?!_

_\---_

 

I jerked awake, sitting up and reaching out with one hand, mouth still open in a silent scream. Ven! I had to get to Ven!

 

Compared to the bright light of the dream, the darkness around me seemed overpowering. At least until I could start making out the faint outlines of furniture. The moonlight filtered in through a space in the curtains... moonlight from a normal round moon.

 

Not a heart shaped one.

 

Slowly, I tried to get myself to relax.

 

This wasn’t... that... I...

 

“Vani?”

 

I flinched at the voice, then berated myself for doing so.

 

Right... I wasn’t back there. I was here. With Grey...

 

“Vani...what’s wrong?” Grey’s voice was still half asleep, and I felt him shiver a bit next to me. “Mmn... at least bring the covers back...”

 

“Right...” I grabbed a hold of the blankets as I laid back down, trying to calm my racing heart. “Sorry...”

 

Grey immediately laid his head on my chest, right over my heart. I wrapped my arm around his shoulders pulling him close.

 

_The dream...was that---?_

 

“Your heart is pounding.”

 

Grey’s voice interrupt my thoughts and I let out a deep sigh, knowing I wouldn’t be able to hide it from him forever. Not that I really wanted to either.

 

“I had a dream... about the battle...”

 

I felt his breathing hitch. After a moment, he shifted his arm, digging it under my back so he could pull me into more of a hug, like a stuffed toy. “Yeah?”

 

“Yeah...” I turned towards him to better talk face to face, “Sorry... It’s a bit of an awkward dream to have after--” I trailed off gesturing towards nearly naked bodies, still intertwined under the blankets.

 

We were so sated and exhausted after our fun that we just put our boxers back on before we went to sleep, barely remembering to blow up the air mattress...

 

My memories really had the worst sense of timing.

 

I felt another hitch in Grey’s breathing, though this time in more of a huff of laughter. “Vani... you don’t have to be sorry about that...” He shifted so his head shared the pillow with mine, and entangled our legs. “So... how much of the battle do you remember?”

 

“Everything... I think...” I brushed a hand through his hair, pushing it out of his eyes so I could see them better. “I dunno... a lot of dust... I thought I was back in the town I grew up in at first... but then everything changed. The headstones became the keyblades that are buried in the ground. Then I changed... I became like I was...” That vortex of anger and fear and loneliness... It gave me a bad feeling just remembering it. I never wanted to become that person again...

 

“Vani...stay here with me...”

 

I felt gentle hands card through my hair, and I leaned into it. I blinked my eyes open, not sure when I closed them. Grey was hovering over me, his eyes narrowed in concern and his brow furrowed. I leaned up just enough to kiss him on the forehead, and he relaxed, sinking back down to lay next to me. “Sorry...” I murmured.

 

“It’s alright...” He whispered back just as softly. “It’s nothing you have to be sorry over, but it’s alright...” His body shivered again, though this time it had nothing to do with the temperature.

 

I frowned, turning so that I could look at him better, cupping his face and tracing under his eye with my thumb. Bright teal... not gold. “You were there too... weren’t you...” Grey always had my back, even when I couldn’t understand what that meant.

 

He hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Yeah...” He shrugged. “It’s still kind of fuzzy for me. Especially that last battle... I mostly remember the fragments in Castle Oblivion... But... sometimes, when I look at you... I can see you still in that helmet...”

 

I groaned and buried my face in his hair, taking a deep breath. “I hated that thing...”

 

“Then why did you never take it off?” His voice was muffled by my chest.

 

“Cause I hated looking like Ventus and Sora even more...”

 

I felt his half smile against my clavicle. “I suppose I can understand that...Just a bit...”

 

I huffed into his hair, already feeling a little bit better.

 

But still...Something was tugging at me...

 

“Your heart’s still beating pretty fast...” Grey observed after a moment, pulling away from our embrace. He frowned, poking at a spot between my eyebrows. “And you’re still worried about something...”

 

“Yeah, I guess... I...” I trailed off, knowing he was right, but not knowing what I wanted.

 

“Do you need to call Ven?”

 

“I--” Yeah, that’s exactly what I needed to do, but... “Do you mind?”

 

Grey shook his head and I sat up, scooting passed him to the edge of the bed. Shivering the cool night air, I reached down and pulled on a discarded long sleeve shirt for warmth. I quickly located my jeans as well, pulling out my phone, then covered Grey with the blankets. I laid a kiss on his cheek. “Be right back...”

 

“Take your time...” he yawned, then closed his eyes.

 

Stepping carefully around the air mattress we had blown up solely for Riku’s peace of mind, I opened Grey’s bedroom door cautiously, glancing down the hallway. Riku and Sora’s door was closed, and I could hear Sora’s loud snoring, so they must have come back from their Christmas Party. I tiptoed into the hallway, hitting the button on my phone to light up the screen.

 

1 AM...

 

It wasn’t _that_ late... Maybe Ven would still be up?

 

Hesitating after a moment, I finally pressed Ven’s speed dial. Listening to the ringtone, I worried over whether I should have waited to have this conversation in the morning...

 

“Mgh... Hello? Van?”

 

“Ven?” I whispered, trying to keep my voice down.

 

“Yeah...what’s wrong?” There was a squeak over the line, like he was rolling out of his own bed.

 

“Nothing!” I hurried try to assure him. “Nothing’s wrong....I just--” I sigh. “Can you talk for a bit?”

 

“Yeah, of course...” There was a bit more squeaking, then a muffled ‘It’s just Van. Go back to sleep, Terra...’ before I could hear the sound of a door closing. “Kay, just had to step out out to the kitchen. Terra’s been trying to catch up on sleep. He’s exhausted after teaching the kids in the evenings.”

 

“Yeah? Lilo still giving him issues?”

 

“Lilo and one of the new girls... Penelope or something...” There was a moment as he tried to think of the name. “Vanellope! They are either each other’s best friends, or worst enemies. But...” Ven let out a sigh, “They both just have so much...energy. I swear Vanellope can teleport or something.”

 

I huffed out a quiet chuckle. “I can see how that might disrupt class occasionally.”

 

“Yeah...” He shared in my laugh, then sighed again, “But you didn’t call to talk about Terra.”

 

“Yeah...” I admitted, “I... kinda had a bad dream...” I quickly relayed the memories I had about the final battle.

 

“Huh...” Ven huffed, “It’s kinda weird hearing if from your point of view... But all that sounds right...”

 

“You don’t know?” I questioned.

 

“Well... I was asleep until someone rather rudely woke my heart up?”

 

“Oh yeah...”

 

“I’m guessing that’s why you saw yourself attacking Sora?”

 

“And why Riku was pissed...” I remembered. I also suddenly remembered his apparent distrust of me when I first became friends with Grey.

 

It certainly... explained a lot.

 

“Hey Van...” Ven’s voice was quiet, for more reasons that just the late hour, “There’s something I always wanted to ask if you ever remembered that battle.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Why... why did you save me? From Xehanort?”

 

I huffed, “It’s like I told the old man. He promised that I could fight you...:

 

“...right...”

 

He didn’t sound like he quiet believed me. I sighed, and unlocked the memories that I tried to keep behind the door in my head, trying to give him a better answer. “I suppose it was a bit out of self preservation too... I didn’t want to find out what it would be like to exist without you...”

 

“Hmmm...” he let out a sigh of his own. “Well... whatever the reason, I’m glad you did...”

 

“Yeah... me too...” I took a seat on the couch, leaning back... “So... when you left me up on that ledge... did you ever find Aqua?”

 

“Huh?” He sounded startled, “Uh.. no...I was surrounded by Heartless before I could get to her, and then that light came and...”

 

“Right...”

 

“Who was the figure who stayed with you?”

 

“Huh?” Now it was my turn to be startled.

 

“On that ledge... the one who tried to heal you...”

 

“Oh...” Despite the heavy emotions that came from dragging out these old memories, I couldn’t help but smile a little, “It was Grey actually... When he was the Replica...”

 

“Oh...” Ven’s voice was pleasantly surprised. “That’s great! You guys were friends before!”

 

“...yeah...” I still wouldn’t call us that. The me of back then _definitely_ would not have called us that. Comrades, maybe. Or allies. But not friends.

 

But then I remembered the warm hand that had grabbed mine. And the words that Grey had said before the light overtook us. The words that were too quiet to hear.

 

“So...” Ven’s voice interrupted my thoughts. “You think you can go back to sleep?”

 

“Yeah...” Suddenly, the late hour seemed to catch up to me and I tried to hold in a yawn.

 

Ven’s chuckles echoed over the phone line. “You should go back to bed. You know Santa won’t come if you’re awake...”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” I grumbled, remembering the words from when we were kids. But, even I could realize why the presents stopped after Ven left...

 

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow for lunch, right?”

 

I nodded, “Yeah...See you there...”

 

With that, we said our goodbyes and I hung up, smiling as I ended the phone call. I felt much better now than when I had woken up.

 

Tiptoeing back to Grey’s room, I opened the door, startled by the dim light inside.

 

Grey must not have been able to go back to sleep. He was now curled up against the pillow and reading something on his phone. The diamond from Mom’s ring glinted in the soft light, still hanging from the necklace around Grey’s neck. He hadn’t wanted to take it off earlier, and I couldn’t help but be relieved by that notion.

 

As I entered, he looked up, “Hey... feeling better?”

 

“Yeah,” I sighed, letting out a grin and closing the bedroom door behind me. I motioned towards the phone. “Couldn’t sleep?”

 

“Wasn’t the same without you here...” He grinned putting his phone down, then letting out another shiver.

 

“Aren’t you cold?” I asked, stretching before putting my phone back in my jeans.

 

“Yeah... but someone stole my shirt...”

 

 _Huh?_ I looked down and realized that, yeah, I had stolen Grey’s black long sleeve v-neck rather than my own brown shirt. “Oh... sorry...” I made to take it off but a noise of protest from him made me stop.

 

“No... keep it on...”

 

I glanced back at him, letting the shirt shift back down so the hemline was around my hips. In the dim lamplight, I thought I saw his eyes darke with arousal, his mouth open a bit. “Really?”

 

“Just get over here.”

 

I tried to hold back a laugh at the near pout on his face as I walked over, pulling back the covers and joining him. As soon as I was settled, he reached out, pulling me into a deep kiss that had me gasping for breath when he pulled away to turn out the lights. I was once again surrounded by darkness, but with Grey lying practically on top of me, it wasn’t as oppressing as before.

 

“I’m not sure whether I want to kiss you till we’re both hot and bothered again, or hold you close till we both go back to sleep...” He sounded truly torn, resting his chin on my clavicle.

 

I huffed out a quiet laugh, “Well... if we get all hot and bothered again, I guess we’ll have to get each other off again, too... that might tire us out enough to go back to sleep...I’ll let you be the big spoon.” I ran a hand through his hair, which he leaned into. “...We’ll have to be quiet though. I heard Riku and Sora in their room. And you know he doesn’t want to hear any shenanigans...”

 

Grey laughed quietly, muffling his chuckles in my neck. “Deal!” I felt his smile when he moved to kiss me again, deepening it with a swipe of his tongue.

 

As the temperature beneath the covers rose, I felt absolutely grateful, that whatever happened during that final battle, someone or something thought I was deserving of a second chance.

 

I would never take it for granted.  

 

\----

 

_“If I had a second chance, I’d like to spend it with you...”_

 

\---

 

**~Fin~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Subtitle is the final line in the bridge of the song "I'll Try" from Peter Pan Return to Neverland. Thought it a fitting end for this series of epilogues. 
> 
> Jim, Captain Amelia, Doctor Doppler, and John Silver are from Treasure Planet (another favorite disney movie). When writing _The Difference Inbetween_ , the song "I'm still here" which serves and Jim's theme in the movie, served as the sort of... aesthetic? theme? I was going for when writing Vanitas. I just think that if Vanitas did turn 'good,' he and Jim would definitely become good friends. :D (Vanitas centric game after KH3? Maybe? :D) 
> 
> So, this is the end for this series for now. However, I do have... ideas... for a sequel that would really kind of wrap up a few lose-ish ends. I just have the ending of it written for now, but it would include some small focus on OC's (Ven and Vanitas's mom and dad, as well as Sora and Roxas's parents). It would also bring Xehanort back into focus a bit in a way... (For the none of you that were missing him, I'm sure :P) Not sure when I'll get it written completely as I'm focusing on other fic right now, but I can't wait to return to this AU!

**Author's Note:**

> Each chapter's subtitle is inspired by a song in a disney sequel, while the fic title is inspired by the secret ending to Kingdom Hearts I "Another Side/Another Story."
> 
> Please comment and let me know what you think, as well as any glaring errors!


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